Chapter 12: Five years later

It had been five years since Dick Cassablancas was shot in the chest and the way he was showing his scar off, as she watched him from their kitchen window, you would have thought it was yesterday. It felt like yesterday to Mac sometimes, every time she got angry or upset with whatever stupid thing Dick had done she remembered what it felt like to almost lose him, how she felt when the monitors in the ambulance flat-lined on their way to the hospital. How she had pleaded with the paramedics not to give up and begged God not to take him. She had realized then how much she had allowed herself to feel for him and how much she needed him everyday. Any man who would risk his own life to save another had earned the right to brag about his battle scar. The bullet had missed his heart by inches. His recovery had been long and hard but she has stayed strong and stood by him every step of the way. The unwavering support of their friends getting her through the roughest patches. Yes, she was Mrs. Cindy "Mac" Cassablancas and she wouldn't have it any other way.

"Ouch! Oww! Richard!" Mac made her way to the porch of their little beach house and beckoned him home. It was just after sunset and Dick and company had surfed most of the afternoon, a bi-weekly ritual that Dick and Logan were adamant they maintain despite their now hectic schedules. They had spent all that time teaching Eli and Wallace and Piz to surf hadn't they? The girls came occasionally too, though, lately they had been less and less interested in the hot sun and brutal surf. Veronica and Mac were content to sit on the deck, sipping ice tea and eating whatever delivery they were craving on that particular day.

He excused himself from his posse of surfing buddies and headed towards the house, "Macaroni, I thought you were turning in early? How's my baby?"

"I think your baby is ready to COME OUT. Get my bag and get Logan. We need to go NOW," Mac was holding her protruding belly and breathing quick even breaths.

"Oh my God, Oh my God! Logan!" he turned and ran back towards the beach, "DUDE, IT'S TIME! Meet us at the hospital? I'm gonna be a papa!" He jumped up and down as he shouted his good news.

Logan bid the boys goodbye and took off at a sprint toward his house. He had bought the little beachside oasis for his Bride as a wedding gift. He had carried her over the threshold and they had made it into a home, something he had never truly known before. It was a cute little bungalow peaking out amongst several trees, with a garden and patio leading out onto a private beach. Veronica had loved it from the start. Her recovery had been tedious and she and Logan had spent many a day sitting in their garden watching the sun set and listening to the soothing whoosh of the waves crashing against the shoreline. The peaceful nod goodnight from the sun as it sank beneath the ocean's crest served as a constant comfort to them. Mac and Dick had stayed with the Echolls' for awhile during Dick and Veronica's recoveries and Mac had fallen in love with her friend's little house of dreams. When the adjacent property had gone up for sale a year later she had easily persuaded her doting husband to buy it for her, promising him unlimited surfing and indigo driftwood bonfires.

"Veronica!" Logan called when he got to the house, "Mac's in labor. We have to go!"

"Do you hear that little Lynn," she cooed to the tiny baby in her arms, "only a few more hours until you get to meet your future husband." They had named their daughter Lynn Candace Echolls. Lynn for Logans mother and Candace after Lilly and Duncan Kane, their childhood best friends. It had been Christmas time when Veronica's twisted mind had thought up the name. Candy being short for Candace and a candy cane being Veronica's craving at that moment. She had suggested it as a joke but somehow it fit. Duncan had made Logan promise not to name their children after him for fear someone would take notice and realize they were still in contact. They had reluctantly agreed but Veronica had managed to sneak it in. Even Duncan had not yet made the association, or if he had he hadn't admitted to it. Veronica knew the name would have made Lilly laugh, which just made it all the more perfect to her. Veronica's memories of the day her friend died had started to fade and now she remembered Lilly with a smile on her face and a glass of champagne in her hand. They had only been brave enough to meet up with Duncan a couple of times since their little Vegas wedding, but weekly emails and the occasional untraceable phone call satisfied their hunger to be a part of each other's lives. Duncan was still floating around the world. They never knew where until he had moved on but he always managed to send them trinkets and photos from exotic places. And they all still had hope that one day he would be able to come home for good.

Logan jumped in the shower quickly scrubbing the remnants of sand and surf from his body and threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, "It's going to be a long night," he hollered in Veronica's direction, "Do you want to take Lynn with us or should we swing by Trina's and leave her with them."

"I can stay with her," Charlie Stone wandered in from the garden, "I was dropping off some stuff I got for Lynn and thought I'd wait for you to come back. Good thing I hung around." There are two things in life that bring otherwise estranged families together: births and deaths. Logan had sought his half-brother out during the first trimester of Veronica's pregnancy and the two had become quite close. Charlie would stop by on occasion and sit in the garden getting to know his brother over a beer or pop in early on a Saturday morning and join the guys for some surfing. His visits had become more frequent the last month, ever since Lynn was born. Charlie loved his niece and spoiled her as much as Logan did, lavishing her with books and toys. He took her for walks in her stroller so her parents could get some much needed sleep and helped Veronica with her anyway he could. Charlie was quickly becoming a welcome staple of the Echoll's family.

"Fantastic timing!" Logan smiled at his presence.

"I think Lynn would enjoy an evening with Uncle Charlie." Veronica smiled up at Logan, "Did you call everyone? "

"I am going to call Trina now to let her know. We were still on the beach with Wallace and Piz and Eli so they all know. I'll call Dad from the car. Grab a disposable cell so we can call Duncan and Lilly." He smiled, the word Dad had been given new meaning in the past few years. Keith Mars had welcomed him into his family, treating him just as he would if he were his own son and in her few short weeks of life Lynn had brought him so much joy- he was finally understanding what being a Dad truly meant. Dad was a joyous name, a good name, a named earned, one he now used and wore proudly.

"I can tell Trina. I was going to go see her and Leo's new house tonight. She was so excited to be moving out of the hotel. Do you mind if I take Lynn along?" Logan smiled and Charlie made a move for the front door, grabbing Veronica's keys from their hook on his way, "I'm just going to go move her car seat into my car."

"She's done with her bottle," Veronica sat quietly rocking their little girl, perfectly content in the moment.

Somehow these past few years Logan had made himself the family he had longed for his entire childhood. He had a brother and a sister who loved him, a brother-in-law he never knew he always wanted, friends he would do anything for, and a father who supported him without question. He stopped for a second lost in his thoughts and looked down at his girls. His emotions overtook him and he was thankful in that instant for the most perfect wife and daughter he could ever imagine. "I love you." He kissed both their foreheads.

"We love you too, Daddy."

***Author's note: I hope you guys all enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it! Please post your reviews! I am working on my writing skills and anything you all have to offer is greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading! xoxo***