Story so Far: Veronica is an 09er who moves to Neptune. She meets Logan on the beach and they decide to date while Logan and Lilly are broken up. Lilly becomes alarmed at how close Veronica and Logan become.. She attempts to get him back but he chooses to stay with Veronica. Veronica rescues a baby from a burning car. She breathes in too much smoke and collapses. Logan goes to the hospital and is worried as her condition worsens and she gets put on life support. As the days of waiting at the hospital take its toll on Veronica's family, Logan comes to see that he no longer loves Lilly; he loves Veronica. Veronica is removed from life support and gets better. She initially thinks she should break it off with Logan but her friends seeing how worried he was when she was unconscious, encourage her to date him.
Logan stands looking at Veronica's bulletin board while he waits for her to finish getting ready. It is packed with photos. There are a lot more now than the first time he saw it.
He unconsciously fiddles with the sleeves of his dress shirt as he waits. Tonight is a night for celebration; but it is also a night for reflection for the young man whose life has undergone some major changes in the past twelve months.
Tonight it is their one year anniversary. Apart from the few days when she went to LA to recover after her hospitalization and to think about their relationship, there hasn't been a time that they have been broken up. After his long term off again, on again relationship with Lilly, dating Veronica has been nourishing for his soul. Without a doubt, he upsets her at times and she can cause him to almost pull his hair out, but their relationship is secure.
Actually secure is a good word for how Logan feels. He feels like he can make mistakes and although he might upset her, she will never punish him. Veronica has taught Logan to fight fair. She can be really mad and her little face will turn red, but she never tries to hurt him deliberately. She doesn't understand why someone would use the intimate knowledge gained through time and trust to say or do things that would deliberately hurt a loved one. To her that is the last person you should want or try to hurt. He can see her point. You love someone and you let them see more of you. It is with trust that you show your truth to your friends and your lover. It took a little while for Logan to trust in their relationship but once he sunk into the safety of their relationship, he has really blossomed.
His mother compares him to her beloved roses; fragile and prickly, but once they have established roots in good soil and received the proper nourishment, they have the most gorgeous, colorful, fragrant flowers. Logan teases her about hurting his manly image comparing him to a rose, but he understands her meaning. The security he feels in his relationship with his mother, Mr. Mars and Veronica has allowed him to show more of his true self. So in that sense he has blossomed. Once he showed more of his true self, he got more positive emotions in return from others around him which made him more confident to be himself.
Logan knows that he has the amazing blond pixie, currently in the bathroom putting the finishing touches to her appearance, to thank for how great his life is now.
Although the bulletin board is a reflection of Veronica's life, their lives are so intertwined that it might as well be a synopsis of his life now.
There are pictures of them surfing. Veronica has become a pretty decent surfer and she gets why Logan likes the freedom of riding the waves. Logan is really thrilled that Veronica shares his love of surfing. He knows that some of their vacations together will be to places they can surf. He likes the pictures of both of them riding their boards on the waves and he likes the pictures of them standing together in their wet suits. He's a seventeen year old boy so he really likes the pictures of Veronica in her bikini best. Looking closely at a picture of them standing together by the water, he is struck by how happy and relaxed they look together. They look like a couple in love.
He sees that she has put the picture of him holding the bronze medal from his last surfing competition on the board. He is standing with the other winners and they are all smiling for the camera. Logan has become good friends with some of the other competitors and he enjoys the camaraderie almost more than the competition. To them he is just Logan and that is all he ever wanted to be.
He smiles as he looks at the picture of his best friend, Duncan Kane standing with the girl's soccer team. He's wearing a pink shirt that says in quite large letters 'Girls Soccer Kicks' on the front. The back, which you can't see, says, 'Boy's Soccer' and has a stick man figure girl with her foot on top of a stick man figure boy who is lying on the ground. He is not sure where Veronica ordered the shirt from, but it is the brightest pink Logan has ever seen. He was really impressed that DK wore it to school and was so good about taking his punishment for losing their bet. Of course, Veronica took Duncan's picture and then had t-shirts made with him wearing his pink t-shirt for every girl on the soccer team. They wear them to school on game days this year. Duncan is currently trying to negotiate a bet for this year's soccer season. Logan smiles at how embarrassed his friend looks in the picture and how big Veronica's grin is for the picture.
Logan looks over at the picture of Veronica holding Cassandra and reaches up to touch it. Even now he is amazed at her bravery; getting into a burning car to rescue a crying baby. His heart skips a little as he thinks about how close he came to losing her both physically and emotionally. She had been put on life support and then when she recovered, she was going to break off their relationship; sure he was still in love with Lilly. It took some time to convince her that he had fallen deeply in love with her. He has her friends to thank for helping to convince her that he does really love her.
The picture of her with her friends from LA next to the one of Veronica with Cassandra is one of his most favorite pictures on her board. They are all dressed up to go dancing and are standing with their arms around each other mugging for the camera. Logan took the picture and the love between them was easy to see. They are like sisters to Veronica and he can see that they will always be close even when they are far apart in miles. Logan and Veronica go to LA or they come to Neptune as often as they can. Logan thanks them every time he sees them for helping to convince her to give him another try. He can't imagine his life without her in it.
He looks back at the picture of Veronica holding Cassandra. Cassandra is holding Veronica's medal for bravery. The Mayor had a ceremony at City Hall to honor Veronica. She had not understood why she deserved a medal; feeling that anyone who was there would have tried to save Cassandra. After the presentation, the Tuckers had brought Cassandra up to pose with Veronica. She had looked adorable and had grasped Veronica's medal and then smiled at Veronica. That picture graced a lot of newspaper and magazine covers.
Since the ceremony Veronica sees Cassandra once a week. She has become her unofficial big sister and it is obvious that it is a relationship they both love. The Tuckers and the Mars have become family. They see each other frequently and are invited to important times in each others' lives. Cassandra is a going concern now running everywhere. Keith had his mansion child proofed and it took Logan a few times to learn how to unlock the lower cupboards so he could open them. Keith added state of the art security to the Tucker's home and for her last birthday gave her a four year college scholarship. The Tucker's were overwhelmed but Keith was adamant that they have the money there for when she graduated from high school. He told them that they are already sacrificing enough raising her; they should have that worry of affording her college off their shoulders. Logan smirks as Keith is now wrapped by two girls and he has no trouble admitting it.
He looks at the picture of Veronica sitting beside him at the poker tournament finals. When Logan brought Veronica back to Neptune after her recovery in LA, she had been surprised that they waited the poker finals for her. They all regretted their choice when she ended up winning the tournament. She and Logan were the two final competitors and she had beaten him with a really lucky draw. He had not been upset. He had been so very grateful that Veronica was alive and that she had decided to see if their relationship could work. He had easily listened to her teasing for the next few days. The 09ers enjoyed the tournament so much that they scheduled another one a few months ago. This time he knocked her out in the finals. He naturally had no problems teasing her about it so they were both looking forward to the next tournament. Logan had a private bet in mind for it.
He loves the picture of her baking in the Mars' kitchen. Besides the fact that he likes how she looks in her apron, he likes to think of her in the kitchen baking; spoiling the men in her life. It is stupid, but he likes her baking so much because he imagines coming home to find her in their kitchen with an apron on cooking or baking. He even imagines a little boy and girl running into the kitchen to eat some of her cookies. That is his little secret right now.
There is a picture of her in front of her Escalade and one of him tying his surfboard on his Xterra. There are pictures of their friends at school. There is a picture of Mac in the computer room, Wallace playing basketball, Duncan giving a speech when he ran for President, Meg cheering, Luke pitching and even Vice Principal Clemmons posing with Veronica in front of the office. That picture always makes Logan smile as he knew from day one that Veronica would own Clemmons one day.
The picture that still shocks Logan the most is the picture of Veronica and Lilly standing together at Lilly's graduation. Lilly is in her green cap and gown and Veronica is wearing a polka dot brown sundress. In one of those weird twists that life can throw your way, Lilly had Veronica checked out after Logan decided to stay with her. She found out that her father and Veronica's mother had been having an affair for years. They had been dating in high school and had both gone to different colleges. They had met again when they were both married to someone else but had chosen to start seeing each other. Lilly had confronted Veronica publicly telling her loudly that they might be sisters. Veronica had been devastated. She had left school to talk to her father. It turns out he knew. He showed her the results of a genetic test he had done when she was small. It was conclusive that she was his biological daughter. What has shocked Veronica was that her father had hugged her and told her that even if he wasn't biologically her father he would have raised her anyways. What had started as a horrible day for Veronica had turned into a day where she got even more evidence her father loved her.
Logan coming out of his class had found out about the confrontation between Lilly and Veronica. He had been furious with Lilly for trying to hurt Veronica and had tried to call her. After she had found her father and talked to him, she had texted Logan that she was fine and spending the afternoon with her dad.
Surprisingly Veronica had not been angry with Lilly. She shocked everyone by feeling badly for Lilly and Duncan. She already knew what her mother was like and her mother was not a major part of her life anymore; but Duncan and Lilly did not know about their father.
Lilly had been very upset that Veronica felt badly for her. Surprisingly her public attack of Veronica had caused a lot of the school to turn against her, including Logan. She had been truly shocked that Veronica had stopped any retaliation towards Lilly. She thought Veronica would hate her but she didn't; Veronica saw her as a victim.
Duncan had not been thrilled that Veronica may be his half sister. He told Lilly that he was busy enough being her brother. He also told Lilly that he would welcome Veronica if she turned out to be his blood relative.
Lilly had begun to talk to Veronica after that and surprisingly decided, in true Lilly fashion, that they were in fact sisters. She told everyone they weren't sisters by blood but by choice which was way better. They had become pretty good friends.
The school thought it was weird that Logan's ex-girlfriend and his current girlfriend would become good friends. Logan actually liked it. He considered Lilly part of his family and had so many great memories of them in Middle School. He and Lilly just weren't good for each other in a boy-girl relationship way but he thought of her as a friend and liked having her as a friend. It was really nice that the Fab 4 could still be together; they could still hang around together. Besides Lilly brought a lot of life to their group; you never knew what she was going to do next.
Logan found out from Keith that he knew the whole time that Lianne was fooling around on him. He said he put up with it to protect Veronica. Logan was really impressed that Veronica's father had stayed with her mother to give Veronica a good home. Keith shared with Logan that it was Veronica that finally spurred him into getting a divorce. He said that she had come to him one day and asked him to divorce her mother. Keith had thought about it and filed for divorce. Veronica had been very clear to the judge and lawyers that she wanted to be with her father and he had put up with her mother's lies and cheating long enough. Lianne faced with Veronica's determination had not fought custody. Veronica in turn agreed to see her mother frequently. Most of the time her mother was not even home when Veronica went for her court mandated time and her mother did not take an interest in the important events in her life. Keith was upset but Veronica learned to accept that her mother wasn't going to be involved in her life and be grateful that she had such a loving and caring father.
Keith had shaken Logan a little by admitting how upset he had been when he found out about his wife's affairs. He looked closely at Logan and then told him that he learned from Lynn and Veronica's friends that Lilly had fooled around on Logan when they dated. He told Logan he is biased because Veronica is his daughter, but it is good that he is away from Lilly. He shared that it has been his personal experience and experience through his job that if a person is not faithful before the marriage, he or she would probably not be faithful after the marriage. He put his hand on Logan's shoulder and said, "Look how it crushed your mother's spirit to have your father be unfaithful. I would hate to see that happen with you."
Logan respected Keith so much and it meant a lot that he would share his feelings with Logan. He knew Keith was right. Lilly probably would not have been faithful after they were married. He really hoped for Lilly's sake that she met someone who would mean enough for her to change her ways. Hopefully this guy could make her feel secure and heal the pain Lilly held deep inside her that she was not loveable.
Logan loved that he was becoming so close to Keith. He still feared him but he could see that Keith was accepting him into the family. Veronica's uncle told Logan that as long as he treated Veronica well, he wouldn't have any problems with the Mars men. Logan totally got the need to protect Veronica.
He looks over at the pictures of Veronica playing soccer and posing with her teammates. There is a great picture of them all with the District Champion Trophy. They lost at state but Veronica had been selected for the State team. Keith had been so proud. Logan, Keith and Veronica's aunt and uncle had gone out to celebrate after the District Championship. Veronica's mother had not attended. They had teased Veronica about being so tiny yet so aggressive on the soccer field. Logan had been amused to find that Veronica became a fan favorite with her tiny size and bright blond hair. He had inwardly smirked at how the guys at the school cheered when she knocked someone down. There is something about such aggression in a female. Logan takes a lot of teasing about her aggressive nature and how it translates to their sex lives. He ignores them but he likes her confidence and her desire.
There are pictures of Logan working in the newspaper room and she has cut out some of the articles he has written and has them posted on the board. This has been a different year for Logan. He transferred to AP classes after Christmas and he has been named an editor on the school paper for their senior year. Now walking down the halls in Neptune High, a lot of students feel confident enough to say hello or comment on his latest article in the paper.
Logan looks at the picture of them at Junior Prom. She looked amazing in a deep pink strapless dress. They are both wearing their crowns and posing for the picture for the yearbook. Logan remembers that night well. Veronica had been nominated for Junior Prom Queen and Logan had been nominated for Junior Prom King. He was not surprised when she was selected. After all she is an 09er, saved a baby from dying in a car, soccer all star, track team star and won a prize at the Art Show with her sketch of the ocean. Most of all she is really nice to everyone and she is genuinely popular at the school. Logan thinks he was selected to be along side her because well, he had been along side her for most of the year.
It's weird but Logan was dating the most powerful girl in Neptune when he dated Lilly. Most everyone sucked up to them because they would be socially outcast if they upset Lilly or Logan. Now he is dating the most popular girl in the school. People don't want to be with her because she is powerful; they want to be around her because she is fun, popular and nice. By association, Logan's image has changed as well.
Logan can't believe that tonight is their year anniversary. In some ways it seems like it has been longer; so much has happened in his life. His mother left Aaron and although it was hard on her, Keith Mars protected her. She had rented a mansion and Keith had set up the security for it. The security team from Mars Security protected her when she was out of the mansion. There was no way that Aaron could get her alone to threaten her or harm her. With the information on Logan's abuse that Mars Investigations provided, the judge gave custody to Lynn. She went to rehab and was presently six months chemical free. She was back working. Logan had court mandated visits with Aaron but he was always accompanied by his security team and he was never physically harmed. Before Logan's first mandated visit with his father, Keith Mars had gone to see him and set out the rules. Logan suspected that Veronica's father outlined that their visits would be taped and that the guards would stop any emotional abuse as well. He also suspects that Keith may have threatened Aaron as well.
Although Lynn took a hit in the press when she divorced Aaron Echolls, she is thrilled he is out of her life and it shows. She looks amazing; like a 200 pound weight was taken off her shoulders. She has done a few guest shots on popular television shows and after Logan graduates is starting a recurring role on a television series. She is moving to the LA Mansion.
Aaron Echolls hid a lot of his assets but he made Lynn a rich woman with an outright payment of 50 million dollars, the LA and the Neptune mansions, the Paris apartment, one of his yachts, Lynn's and Logan's vehicles, Lynn's jewelry and paintings and a large monthly payment for Logan until he finished college or reached the age of 25.
Keith has been a rock for Logan and Lynn these past few months. Besides helping them both physically when Lynn left Aaron, he has been a huge source of emotional support for them both. Logan truly feels like Keith is a good man and knows that he will be there if his mother or he ever needs him. It was a wonderful feeling. Veronica teased him that sometimes she thought he loved her father more than her. Of course that wasn't possible but he knows that Veronica likes that her beloved father and her boyfriend get along.
Veronica had stood by Logan throughout his parent's divorce and his decision to stay with his mother. He knows that some of the students would have tried to isolate him but with DK as his best friend, Meg and Lily as friends, and Veronica as his girlfriend, he has had a relatively smooth transition to living with his mother.
Although she stood by him socially, Logan was impressed at how she helped him emotionally. It was a stressful time for him and he was worried about what would happen if his abuse got out. He was mortified that Veronica and her father knew. She quickly wrapped her arms around him and told him that they were a team. They would deal with the past, live in the present and look forward to the future.
Logan had finally understood her philosophy on life. He had never really been able to see why she would agree to date him when she knew he loved Lilly. She just understood a thing about life that Logan didn't. She got that everyone had some bad things in life to cope with but if you took things one day at a time, the long run would take care of itself. Veronica is grateful for her father and her aunt and uncle. She has good friends and she knows that life is short.
Logan has quit being mad about what family he was born into. He has an abusive asshole for a father but he has a mother who loves him. He has good friends and he has a great girlfriend who loves him. His life is good and he is enjoying each day. He has found that Veronica is right. He has enjoyed each day as much as he can the last few months and has found that he is really happy.
He knows Veronica hates when she has to go and stay with her mother but she makes the best of it. Sometimes Logan goes and it is fun for them in LA. She always makes sure she spends time with her friends from LA. This year when she turns 18 years old, she will be free to make the decision when she sees her mother. Logan figures that she will still give her mother the opportunity to see her when she is in LA. Logan also knows that her mother will probably not realize what she is losing out on when she doesn't make time for Veronica until it is too late. People are often too late smart.
Out of the three children affected by Liane and Jake's long-term affair, Logan thinks Veronica is handling it the best. Lilly, although excited about the attention from the school, upsetting her parents and actually getting to know Veronica better, is still reacting to the news by continuing to get into trouble. Duncan is handling it how he always handles personal stressors. Initially he ignored the idea that Veronica might be his half sister. Now he ignores the issue of his father's affair.
Veronica long ago accepted that her mother was not the mother she wanted and after she confronted her father and found out she was biologically his, she went back on with her life as before. When Logan asked her about it she said, "It doesn't make a difference who the guy was she fooled around on Dad with." She paused and then looked at Logan and he could see the hurt in her eyes. She said quietly, "It does hurt to find out that Mom is willing to come to Neptune to see Jake but she isn't willing to come here to see my soccer games, track meets or even just see me."
Logan hadn't thought about it that way. He had been concerned about the actual affair, not the logistics of how they got together. He had held Veronica and told her that he couldn't understand Lianne not wanting to see Veronica all the time. He wasn't her mother and he wanted to be with her every minute.
Veronica had smiled and told Logan his desire was different than a parent's. He had smirked and then leaned down to kiss her content to show her that his desire was there and it was very different.
Logan thinks about how last month he had taken Veronica to his father's movie premiere. He doesn't want to see his father but until he turns eighteen, he doesn't have a choice. When he does turn eighteen, unlike Veronica who will probably still agree to see her mother, he will not be seeing his father when he is not mandated to by the court.
Not surprisingly, his relationship with his father is very strained. A security officer from Mars Security is present and stands unobtrusively where he can see Logan at all times. No one thinks it is for Logan's protection from his father; the press and adoring public assume that his overprotective, loving parents have security keeping him safe. Logan knows his father is using their time together to repair his image with the public. He has had a lot of negative publicity since his divorce and his son's choice to live with his mother. In public, Aaron has loudly proclaimed that Logan is choosing to stay with his mother because she is going to live in Neptune and Logan wants to graduate with his girlfriend and friends. He also sadly told the press that he will be away working on his next picture most of Logan's senior year so it is just as well if he stays there with his mother.
He wants to be seen with Logan to show he is an attentive dad. Logan had agreed to go to the Premiere if Veronica could go with him. Aaron had no problem with that as long as they arrived in the same limo and they both were complimentary during any interviews.
Veronica had been absolutely a godsend for Logan. She happily chatted to his dad's latest fling about trivial things. She was easy with Aaron; relaxed and keeping the conversation on unimportant matters. Logan had kept hold of Veronica and had been eternally grateful she was there as a buffer. She was so very bubbly and charming that Logan had been able to hide behind her at times when he needed to regroup. She had been great with his father and Jessica and all the reporters. She had been seated between Aaron and Logan and had quietly kept her face interested throughout the whole movie. They had gone to one after party and then had snuck back to Veronica's mother's house after telling Aaron they enjoyed themselves. By that time Aaron was into the after parties and didn't care if Logan was there or not.
At Veronica's mother's home, he had thanked Veronica thoroughly. She had impishly reminded him that she had been totally bored and the movie was awful. Then she had rolled over and said, "My back is stiff from all that standing and posing."
Logan had smiled and had given her a great backrub.
Hearing a noise Logan turns from the bulletin board and looks to see Veronica coming out of the bathroom. He whistles and puts a hand to his heart saying, "Veronica, you look amazing!" She is wearing a deep red dress that hangs just above her knees. It has short sleeves and a scooped neck. It has a cross cut design that emphasizes her waist and small hips. She has her long hair curled and pulled to the side with a clasp. She is wearing the bracelet he bought her and a necklace and earring set her father bought her for her 17th birthday.
She smiles happily at him telling him he looks very handsome. Veronica notices he has been looking at her bulletin board and smiles. She teases, "I think you spend more time looking at the board than I do."
Logan looks at her, his eyes shining with his emotions, "My life is so much better since I met you."
Her face softens as she sees his feelings; open for her to read on his face. She softly says, "Mine too."
She walks over and puts her hand up to his cheek and gently caresses it. She says, "I started out just wanting to enjoy my time with you; one day at a time."
Sweetly she adds, "Now a lifetime won't be long enough."
Turning his head to kiss her hand, he puts his hand up to take hers. He pulls her gently towards him and says, "I love you Veronica."
Eyes luminous she says, "I love you Logan."
He leans down and kisses her. He wraps his arms around her and deepens the kiss enjoying her response and the feel of her wrapping her arms around his neck.
In his pocket he has a promise ring for her. They aren't eighteen yet but Logan is sure about his love. Some day he intends to marry Veronica Mars. This ring tonight is to show her that he is serious about their relationship. He has planned a romantic dinner in Veronica's favorite restaurant and then a walk on the beach where they met. He wants to give her the ring under the moon just like when they first met and talked. He didn't know it then but getting knocked down by Backup was the luckiest thing to ever happen to him. It was the start of having the life he had never dreamed he could have; but had always dreamed of having.
The End