This story is a sequel to my very first story "Tear Away the Mask." Please, stop and go back and read it before you read this chapter! I can't imagine you will appreciate this story as much if you have not read my previous story. "Tear Away the Mask" was set immediately after season 3. Although it was labeled a LoVe story, MaDi did figure strongly in it, too. "Tear Away the Mask" ended at Christmas. This story takes place the following week at New Year's Eve.

I do not own Veronica Mars. However, twin siblings Jazmin and Jason Jaleno and Daisy Gonzalez are characters I created and introduced in the previous tale. You will also notice scene breaks in this story.

This chapter is rated MA for Mature due to a scene at the end. I don't plan on having very many of the chapters rated MA, so don't worry! The Mature/R rated scene is a bit tamer I think than the two love scenes in the previous story.

Chapter 1: New Year's Eve

****Logan and Dick's Beach House****

Dick woke up New Year's Eve with a smile on his face. He just knew today was going to be a perfect day. Duncan was coming over in a bit to hit the waves with him. He had to pay homage to the sea gods so nothing would interfere with his plans for tonight. He and Mac were going to hit his brothers' New Year's party, but Dick planned on ducking out before the ball dropped with Mac. He had plans to have her all to himself when it struck midnight. He had reserved a room at the Neptune so that he could guarantee time alone with Mac. He was finally ready to take the next step with Mac. He wasn't sure how he'd waited so long. They had almost crossed over into the point of no return Christmas Eve, but Dick pulled back for some reason. He just was so happy, and he had freaked at the thought of messing things up. He knew his frat brothers wouldn't believe it if they knew, or they'd pass out from laughing. He hadn't even been able to talk to Logan about it.

Ever since he'd first discovered sex it seemed like his goal had been to experience it as much as he could and with as many different girls as he could. For him, it had been about quantity and not quality. He'd never really been serious about a woman. He'd married Melanie last year in Vegas, but he'd been drunk and barely knew her. The fact that he'd been turned off when he saw her toes was testament of the shallowness of that particular relationship.

Dick could not imagine finding any part of Mac to be a turn off. He loved everything about her: he loved her smile; he loved her sexy blushes; and he even loved the annoyed looks she sometimes gave him. He especially loved her laugh. She was so serious. Dick loved that he alone could make her roll with laughter. He realized at Christmas that he was completely in love with her. Her Christmas gifts to him showed that she really got him in a way no one ever had. The expensive cologne showed that she understood the silver spoon side of him. That may seem like no big deal, but since they came from two very different worlds, Dick thought it was important. He knew Logan and Ronnie had more than one fight about her unwillingness to accept that part of Logan. But with Mac, Dick found that it was never an issue. Mac had an uncanny gift for fitting in anywhere. He had taken her both to the very expensive places and to places where shoes weren't even required. Mac fit into both places effortlessly. In fact, she seemed oblivious or indifferent to the differences. She seemed to appreciate any new experiences, so she let herself love nice places but also found joy in the simple places. Dick found her to be so completely different from any girl he had ever dated.

The T-Shirt she had made for him so flummoxed him. She had been so embarrassed about the fun shirts he had made her wear when she had lost the bet a few months earlier. She had given in good naturedly and even surprised him. However, Dick knew even before they began dating how private she was. How reserved she could be. The fact that she had loosened up enough to even dream up such a gift tickled him to no end. But what he loved even more was the fact that she was so willing to put herself out there in such a way. It both surprised and touched him. How could he not love her?

Tonight Dick planned on making love to her for the first time, and he was going to let her know exactly how he felt. He was mostly an open book, so you'd think telling Mac he was in love with her would be no big deal. However, Dick had never said those words to a girl and meant it. He had said it to Madison before because in high school it was expected for a guy to say that to the girl he was with if he wanted to get past third base. At one point, Dick may have thought he loved Madison. She was the first girl he'd slept with. But when they'd finally broken up and he had only missed getting laid regularly, he knew that he had not really loved her. Watching Logan's dance with Veronica further convinced him that he had never been in love. Of course, Dick was convinced that Ronnie was just difficult and Logan enjoyed pain because his relationship with Mac in no way resembled theirs. Thank God! He didn't think he'd be able to handle all the drama. Fortunately for him, Mac was both low maintenance and drama free.

*****Mac's Parent's house***

The girl in question was lying in bed trying to decide if she wanted to get up or not. There wasn't a lot of days left of vacation, so she should relish sleeping in. Since it was New Year's Eve, she knew that she'd need the extra sleep because she would be up late. However, she was wide awake. She had been contemplating whether or not to be completely honest with her parents about her plans for tonight. She was an adult, and they loved Dick. Sometimes it seemed like they enjoyed him more than they did her! But she didn't know if they were ready to face the reality of her being involved in an adult relationship. Her parents weren't overly conservative, but they also weren't very liberal either. Since she had not started dating until she was almost eighteen, she had never pushed the envelope with them. Cassidy had never wanted to break the rules her parents had laid out. Naturally in hindsight, Mac was now grateful of that fact.

Mac was also grateful that even though Dick and Cassidy were brothers, Dick never reminded her of his late brother. Dick was so open and honest; Cassidy had not been. Cassidy was much moodier—more like Logan and not at all like Dick. Dick was almost always in a good mood. Cassidy had been incredibly smart and kept Mac on her toes intellectually. That had been what had initially attracted her to Cassidy. Dick was no intellectual. Many who knew them both thought that made them mismatched. However, Cassidy's phenomenal intellect hid a dark and devious psyche. Mac had discovered that intelligence did not always mean quality. Her third boyfriend, Max, the one she dated before Dick, was one of the smartest guys Mac ever met. Unfortunately, Max's intellect had only been used for completely shallow and self-serving purposes. Mac had found highly intelligent guys that most would consider her equal to be a complete waste of time and totally not worth the heartache! Dick's IQ may not be as high as hers, but he was not the idiot she had thought him to be back in high school. He was always surprising her with how intuitively insightful he was when it came to people. But what attracted her to him the most was his complete and utter passion for life. In that aspect, he was totally the opposite of his late brother. Experiencing life through Dick's eyes was always fun and exhilarating. It could also be exhausting, so she knew she would go back to sleep. As she rolled over, her phone rang. Well, she guessed she'd get up after all!

****The Beach House*****

Duncan headed to the beach with Dick carrying his board. It seemed like forever since he'd been surfing.

"I miss this, dude," he said to Dick. "I've not been hitting the waves much at all. We should've done this sooner."

"Anytime, dude," Dick responded. "Logan can't surf yet. He's up to a slow jog with Ronnie. But they've not tackled swimming yet. They have to do that before he can go near a board. And you know Ronnie. She'd kill me and hide the body if I tried to talk Logan into venturing out."

Duncan laughed knowingly. As he and Dick hit the waves, Duncan couldn't help but hope he'd get a chance to talk to Veronica before he left. He'd been trying to take Logan's advice. He brought Lily around the day after Christmas like he promised, but he stuck around awhile forcing Veronica to acknowledge his presence in front of Lily. Then he'd brought Lily by yesterday and stayed the whole time. Today Duncan decided that he was going to have it out with her. Tomorrow started a new year. 2007 had been a good year for him because he'd gotten to come home and reconnect with his family and friends. He'd met Jazmin. However, he hated to end the year alienated from Veronica. She was too important to him and Lily. He had to make it right.

After spending an hour or so hitting the waves, Dick and Duncan headed back to shore. Neither had wanted to spend any longer on the waves. Dick had big plans, and Duncan was anxious about talking to Veronica.

As Dick headed inside to clean up, he couldn't resist grabbing his cell and sending Mac a short text. Grinning, he read her response. Dick knew tonight was going to be awesome! He could hardly wait!

****Mac's Parent's House****

Mac hung up the phone feeling cautiously optimistic. It had been Parker, her old roommate who had called so early. Parker had trouble remembering that Rocky Mountain time was an hour ahead of Neptune. When Logan had been shot, Parker had emailed Mac to see if he was okay. They had started emailing and communicating regularly. At first, Mac had been relieved to have someone to share her own fears about Logan with because she had been unable to unburden herself with Veronica or Dick. Gradually, she and Parker found the easy camaraderie that they'd had last year as roommates. Last year had started off kind of rocky between them. Parker had hit home for Mac how wrong it was to make assumptions about a person or judge someone based on first impressions.

Parker was having a hard time being back home and going to the local college. Her parents were suffocating her. Parker had tried to reconnect with her old high school friends. Her best friend from high school was also going to the local college and had even convinced Parker to try out with her for the cheerleading squad. Parker had made the team, but found she hated to be forced to be peppy all the time. Her lack of enthusiasm had been a source of growing tension between her and her friends. Parker was miserable.

When Mac had last talked to Parker Christmas night, she had suggested to Parker that she come back to Hearst. She mentioned to Parker that Veronica had moved permanently in with Logan at the beach house, so Parker could room with Mac again in the dorms. Parker had been overjoyed at the thought, but she hadn't really believed her parents would agree to a midyear transfer. Parker had called that morning to share her good news. She had finally worn down her parents and persuaded them to allow her to transfer back. Due to her rape last year and Logan's shooting, they had been dead set against Parker returning to Hearst. Parker had kept at them, throwing every argument she could think of at them. They finally grew weary of her anger and her tears. They told her she could come for the spring semester. If there were no incidents of violence on campus or anything like that, they'd allow her to return in the fall. Mac was happy for her, but she would miss rooming with Veronica. Veronica was a much more restful roommate than Parker. Parker was a joiner and a total extrovert. Come to think of it, she was a lot like Dick, Mac realized suddenly. Mac laughed at the thought.

Then her phone beeped signaling she had gotten a text message. It was from Dick. It said, "I can't wait to spend the New Year with you!"

Mac smiled as she read it and then sent a quick reply. "Me too. I bought new lingerie for the occasion!" She chuckled knowing the effect her response would have on Dick. She had trouble believing that Dick had managed to wait so long to make love to her. She'd managed to seduce him into third base Christmas Eve. He had really liked his Christmas gift. She had thought for sure he would lose control but for some reason he had stopped. Mac had wanted to scream in frustration. But she knew Dick needed time to work things out in his own mind. She was touched that he wanted so badly to wait for the right moment, but she was really glad he had decided tonight was the night. She couldn't take anymore! It had taken every bit of her self-control to not seduce him into going all the way.

****The Beach House****

Veronica was eating a bowl of cereal when Duncan and Dick came in from surfing. She grimaced when she saw Dick leave Duncan alone in the living room. It was clear that he had no intention of leaving. Sure enough, Duncan looked at her with that determined glint that used to be so foreign on his face but had become familiar since his return.

"Veronica, we need to talk," Duncan insisted.

"There's nothing to say," Veronica responded casually.

"Yes, there is. Today's the last day of the year," Duncan told her, "and I don't want it to end with you hating me."

Veronica looked at him for a moment and finally said, "I don't hate you, Duncan."

"You will barely look at me, Veronica! I can't stand it! Tell me what I can do to fix this?" Duncan begged.

Veronica answered honestly, "I'm not sure that there's anything you can do."

"Well, I disagree," Duncan replied. "We've been friends too long and have been through too much, Veronica. I refuse to let you just walk away from our friendship. Lily needs you. I need you!"

"Lily will always have me," Veronica insisted.

"Will she? Don't you think she'll notice when she gets older that you barely look at me or talk to me?" he responded with frustration. "I'm not perfect, Veronica. I feel like you're punishing me because I fell off the pedestal you kept me on. I never asked to be there. It's not right for you to punish me just because you were wrong about a part of me," Duncan informed her.

"Wow! Your arrogance is also a quality I never noticed before either!" Veronica exclaimed incredulously. "Quit acting like I caught you cheating on a math test or littering, Duncan. You had two people killed! That makes you a killer! If we're going to be honest, let's call a spade a spade!"

"So everyone who kills to protect those they love is a killer? Is that really what you believe? Is that really what you think of me?" Duncan asked.

"To be honest, yes. You don't even feel bad about it or anything. You act like it's no big deal. That disturbs me, Duncan. It frightens me that the sweet, gentle boy I loved could have such a dark center," she admitted honestly. "It's not about me being wrong. It's about me being scared. I misjudged Beaver too and look how many died."

Duncan looks at her in shock. "How could you even say such a thing to me, Veronica? You'd dare compare me to that psychopath? He was a broken and twisted boy. I'm not. He cared nothing about hurting people-even his friends! How could you even think such a thing! That really hurts!"

"I'm not trying to be hurtful, Duncan. I'm just trying to explain how I feel," Veronica explained. "I'm not the same person I was either. A lot has happened. I thought Cassidy was this sweet, intelligent boy—the better half of the Casablancas brothers. I smiled at how cute he and Mac were together at that last school party. How sweet. Then an hour later, I heard him confess to raping me, watched him blow up a plane we both thought my dad was on, and then point a gun at me. Then his mask came off completely, and he tortured me with my own Taser. He took pleasure in it! This boy I knew for years thought nothing of taking lives or even leaving Mac, the one person who loved him, naked in a hotel room."

Duncan felt a bit ill at hearing Veronica's description. He knew intellectually about all the things she described. But hearing her say it and knowing the horror she experienced made it completely different. It also made the comparison hurt even more. "It makes me sick to know what you went through, Veronica. To know what I left you alone to face. I'm sorry that happened."

"I wasn't alone. Logan was there. He was always there. He saved me. The hero is the one that stays. He stayed. He loved me enough to," Veronica replied emphatically.

Duncan didn't respond for a moment. Her words kept echoing in his head. Suddenly so many things occurred to him. He didn't know what to say at first. Then it became clear.

"I'm sorry, Veronica. I didn't stay after Lily died. None of us stayed by you. We all left you. I, of course, had left you even before she died. I left you without an explanation. You never deserved that. I was a weak and spineless idiot. Can you imagine how it felt to think that the girl you love more than anyone, the girl you fantasized about seeing naked was your sister? And knowing we were siblings didn't turn off those feelings like they should have. Maybe a part of me knew instinctively it wasn't true; I don't know. I just know that I didn't know how to deal with it or the fact that I got drunk and slept with you at Shelly's party. I was weak," Duncan admitted. "But you were so strong. You became such a fighter. It was like you were channeling all the best parts of Lilly. You didn't take crap from anyone and didn't need anyone to defend you anymore. You took care of everyone that stood in your way or tried to hurt you. You even managed to tame the PCHers. You reminded me of the phoenix—pulling yourself up from the ashes, being transformed and set ablaze. If anyone got too close, they got burned. It was awe inspiring. I was proud, and I knew wherever Lilly was at she was watching you with pride too. I wanted her to watch me and feel that way too."

Duncan paused to gauge how Veronica was responding to his words. He could tell that she was listening intently. She seemed noticeably affected by his mention of Lilly. Duncan continued, "I knew my sister would never let anyone live who killed you or me. You know that's true, Veronica. My sister could be a real bitch to people she didn't like, but you knew better than anyone probably what she was capable of. Remember how ruthless she was when were in eighth grade and that boy, John, made you cry? He changed schools just to get away from Lilly's rage and vengeance."

Veronica smiled at the memory. She had forgotten it. Lilly in a temper was a sight to behold. Nothing got her madder than anyone hurting Veronica or someone she cared about.

Duncan saw that he was finally getting through to her. He could tell she was weakening. He stepped closer to her. "You know that if Lilly was here, and Gory tried to kill you that she'd have you tripping over bodyguards," he assured her.

Veronica smiled. "You're probably right about that," she admitted.

"However, she would've been much more involved," Duncan said. "She would've made sure she looked Gory in the eyes when he died. She would have wanted to make sure he understood what happened when he tried to kill her best friend."

Veronica didn't want to admit that Duncan was probably right. However, she knew he had a good point. "Maybe," she finally admitted.

Duncan smiled in relief. He stepped forward and grabbed her hand. "Veronica, don't think I enjoyed having Gory killed or that I took pleasure in having my best friend's father killed because I did not. I hated the necessity of such a chore. But I truly feel both actions were necessary. I regret that I had to do it, but I'm not sorry. I won't pretend to be. But please don't let it color the way you see me, Ronnie. Your good opinion means everything to me," he informed her. "I promise that the next time an ugly situation comes up I won't have Weidman doing anything at all without consulting you. Please, forgive me and let's move pass this!" he begged earnestly.

Veronica looked at his pleading and sorrowful eyes. She thought about what he said. She thought about Lilly. She was gone, so Veronica could not really predict for sure how she would respond to the same circumstances Duncan had faced. However, Veronica felt that Duncan was probably right. Lilly could be both callous and ruthless. Look how she treated Logan, and she actually cared about Logan. Duncan had always tried to do the right thing. Even when he broke up with Veronica in high school, he had thought it was the right thing to do. He knew how much she loved her dad and how little she cared for Jake. He hadn't wanted to hurt her by destroying that. Veronica knew he wasn't the kind of guy to act without thinking. Lately, he was a bit too much like Jake and Celeste for Veronica's taste. But sometimes Logan was too high strung like his mother had been and too angry like his father. It did not make Logan either of his parents. Obviously in Duncan's case, the Kane genes were late manifesting. Veronica guessed she owed it to Lilly's memory and to Duncan to make sure she was around to squelch them from becoming too dominate.

She said sternly, "Do you really promise? Because I don't think I could handle any more surprises like this again. I need to be able to trust that I know who you are and what you're capable of."

Duncan responded, "I promise, Ronnie. You won't be kept in the dark again. Nor will I ever act without you. No matter what Logan says," he couldn't resist adding with a grin.

"Don't worry, I'll deal with Logan!" she exclaimed.

Duncan pulled her into his arms for a hug.

Dick had been about to walk into the room Duncan and Veronica were in. He was looking down at his phone reading the text reply from Mackie. When he happened to glance up and see the intimate moment between Ronnie and Duncan, he froze. He couldn't hear really what they were saying, but he could tell from Duncan's expression that he was pleading with Veronica about something. The scene reminded him of the scene he had witnessed at the zoo last fall between them. The Dick heard Veronica say, "Don't worry, I'll deal with Logan." Then Duncan pulled her into his arms.

Dick had seen enough! That did it! He stormed up to them and said loudly, "No! No! No! Are you guys kidding me?"

Veronica pulled back and eye-balled Dick in confusion. Then she understood when Dick continued, "What's got into you, Ronnie? Duncan, take your hands off of her!"

Veronica giggled at Dick's erroneous conclusion. She went up to him and rose on her toes to place a kiss on his cheek. "You're a good friend, Dick."

Dick reacted to her kiss like she had scalded him. He jumped back and exclaimed, "Have you lost your mind?"

Veronica tried in vain to respond but fits of laughter kept her from responding. Duncan had more control and said, "Relax, Dick."

Before he could say more, Dick cut in, "Relax? You're joking, right? Every time I turn around you seem to be having touchy-feely moments with Ronnie. Need I remind you, Duncan, she is Logan's! Not yours! So I suggest you get the hell out of here before I throw you out or worse Logan finds out you're putting the moves again on Veronica!"

A voice from behind interjected, "Too late!"

All eyes looked behind Dick to see Logan leaning casually against the back wall with a half-smile on his face. He had been there long enough to witness most of the scene.

Veronica suppressed a giggle and offered Logan a greeting, "Good morning, honey! Did we wake you?"

Dick quickly said, "Duncan was just leaving, Logan."

"I was?" Duncan asked with a mischievous smile.

Dick shot him a dirty look. Logan saw it and walked toward them. He placed a friendly hand on Dick's shoulder. "Don't worry, Dick. I've got this. I know just how to handle Veronica." Then he marched over to her and pulled her into his arms, kissing her passionately. Dick rolled his eyes and said, "Talk about whipped!" Duncan laughed.

When they finally paused for air, Logan looked down at the pixie blonde in his arms and said, "That'll teach you!"

"Teach me what exactly?" Veronica asked with a coy look.

"Not to leave my bed without me!" Logan replied with a smirk.

"Your bed? Don't you mean our bed?" Veronica corrected.

Logan grinned and then glanced at Duncan and Dick. "Did you and Duncan make up?"

Duncan answered for her, "She decided to forgive me as long as I never exclude her from any plotting or act without her."

"No matter what you say!" Veronica added pointedly giving Logan a fierce look. "Dick here came in as Duncan hugged me and jumped to a very wrong conclusion."

Logan laughed. "Mess with my woman and my Dick will protest," he joked.

Veronica groaned at his bad pun and complained, "Logan, please stop with the Dick puns! I beg you!"

Duncan laughed and then turned toward Dick. "Dick, I can't believe you'd even think I'd put the moves on Veronica!"

Dick looked a little sheepish but then hardened his expression resolutely. "Well, if you had to put up with the see-saw-rollercoaster ride between them that I have had to, you'd understand." Then he said to Veronica and Logan, "I know things are different between you and Logan. But it's gonna be awhile before I don't automatically expect the worse." He turned back to Duncan with an apologetic look, "Sorry, dude!"

"It's okay, Dick," Veronica responded with a smile. I knew your heart was in the right place. I thought it was funny. But you gotta know that I'd never cheat on Logan. If I didn't want to be with him anymore, I would tell him. I would never go behind his back."

Logan still could not handle well hearing any hint that they may one day not be together. He vehemently protested, "Well, that's never going to happen!"

Veronica reassured him by stroking his back soothingly. "Of course not, sweetie. I was just saying that I would never cheat on you."

Somewhat mollified, he grumbled, "You'd never do that either!"

"We know. Dick knows that, don't you Dick?" she asked pointedly, giving Dick a look that said you'd better fix this now.

Dick was no fool. "Sure. I know that! I didn't think Ronnie was cheating on you, Logan. I just thought Duncan was being stupid."

"Hey!" Duncan protested.

"Sorry, dude," Dick replied. He decided appeasing Logan was a bit more important that not offending Duncan.

"You're more than enough for me, Logan, and you know it!" Veronica said with a smile as she wrapped her arms around his neck to redirect him. She kissed him softly and then said, "Now did you want to eat breakfast before we go for our run?"

Both Duncan and Dick were relieved Veronica managed to distract Logan. Even though Duncan knew that Logan wasn't threatened by him anymore, he didn't want to be the cause of any arguments. He decided he'd duck out before anything else could come up. However, before he could leave Veronica asked, "How's Jazmin doing? Have you heard from her?"

"Yes, we email each other just about every day. I called her yesterday to see what she was doing to celebrate the New Year. Her family was having a party, but she didn't seem very enthusiastic about attending. I hate that I can't spend the evening with her. I'd love to ring in the New Year with her," Duncan responded.

"Dude, your dad has his own jet!" Dick reminded him. "Why don't you just go see her?" Dick sometimes didn't understand his friends. Why did they insist on making things so hard?

"Dick's right," Veronica agreed. "You should go see her. Take a day or two. You can leave Lily with your parents tonight. Logan and I will go get her tomorrow and keep her with us tomorrow night." Logan nodded his head in agreement to her suggestion.

Duncan thought about what they were saying and then broke out into a huge grin. "You're right! That's a great idea! I'll call Jazmin now to let her know and make plans. Thanks guys!" He quickly ran out so he could make some calls and get everything ready. Suddenly New Year's Eve didn't seem like a drag after all. It was turning out to be a great day. First surfing, then making up with Veronica, and now plans to his Jazmin. 2008 was going to be great!

Veronica smiled as she watched Duncan practically run out the door. She turned excitedly to Logan, "We get to keep Lily for a whole day and night! I'm so excited! He's never let her stay the whole night before!"

Logan smiled and decided he wouldn't mention Duncan and Lily staying the night a few times over the summer. "It'll be good practice for us," he said.

"Practice for what?" Veronica asked puzzled.

"For when we have our own little blonde angel," Logan replied with a wink and a smile.

For some reason, the idea surprised her. She hadn't ever given much thought to having a child of her own. With her experience with own mom, she hadn't seen a good motherly example. Veronica never allowed herself to think that far in the future anyway. However, since Logan got shot and the thought of losing him shook her to her core, she found herself thinking more and more about plans for her future with him. That was one of the reasons she gave them promise rings for Christmas. "Do you really think that far into the future?"

Dick couldn't resist butting in with a comment, "Who says it's that far into the future with the two of you always going at it like rabbits!" He snickered as Logan gave him a look but refrained from commenting further. He decided he'd best leave before he got himself into trouble.

Logan ignored Dick's comment and replied, "All the time. I can't wait to have a daughter that looks just like you but has my charm and wit!"

"Your wit? Are you sure? You are the one barely passing most of his college classes," Veronica said.

"I do well in the ones that matter," Logan responded with a smirk. Then he got serious and asked, "Don't you picture us someday having our own family?"

"To be honest, I usually don't think that far into the future. Too many of my plans have always come completely undone. I get tired of disappointment, so I decided a while ago to just take each day as it comes. I plan for the future, but I normally focus on the immediate future. Right now most of my plans revolve around getting you back to 100%, school, and making sure things continue going well between us," Veronica shared.

"Do you want to have kids?" Logan asked, realizing that they had never really discussed this.

"I don't know. I love Lily, but she always goes home to Duncan. I'm not sure how I'd handle being responsible for her all the time. Not to mention the pressure of not screwing her up. The only reason I turned out so well was because of my dad. And who knows why you turned out so well," she joked, trying to lighten the moment. When Logan didn't answer but waited for her to finish she continued, "It's kind of a crap shoot, don't you think? Being a parent is a scary thing to contemplate. We got a lot of time," Veronica finished.

"But can you picture yourself having kids with me someday?" Logan asked beginning to get concerned. He wanted to have a family someday with Veronica almost as much as he wanted to be with her. He could not imagine any other future. There was nothing he wanted more than to someday be her husband and the father of her children. In his mind, the two things were intertwined and could not be separated.

Veronica quickly realized that this was no longer a lighthearted discussion but that Logan was deadly serious. She could tell that her answer was important to him. She answered carefully, "If I was to have children with anyone, Logan, it would be with you."

"That's not what I asked," Logan responded. "I asked if you could picture yourself having kids someday with me. Do you want to have kids at all?"

Veronica searched for a response that could satisfy him without hurting him. "Logan, I love you, and I want to make a life with you. Just because I hadn't thought about having kids does not mean I don't want to build a life with you."

"You just don't want to bear my children?" he inquired sharply. Now he was upset. He just didn't understand her sometimes.

"That's not what I'm saying," she answered. "I'm saying that I hadn't ever really thought about it. But now that I can clearly see that you have, and it's important to your happiness, I will think about it. Please don't take me not picturing myself giving birth as in any way a rejection of you. Some women grow up wanting to have children more than they want to be married. I have never wanted either of those things that much. I just wanted to be happy, see my dad happy, and then put away bad guys. That was all I really planned for. Now, of course, you figure prominently in all my plans. Now I want to see a happy future with you. If that includes having a brown eyed little charmer like you, then I'm sure you'll keep me from screwing him up!"

Logan looked at her to make sure she meant it. He decided that since it was New Year's he wouldn't push it and create tension. This was definitely a topic they would address again in the future. But not too far into the future. Logan knew Veronica needed to be reminded of things she'd rather ignore. He smiled at her, "Hey, you're the one with the healthy parent role model. It'll be up to you to keep the child sane and healthy! Of course, we'll have Wallace and Mac around to give our child some sane role models!" They both knew Dick wouldn't necessarily be a sane role model!

They smiled at each other. Both were happy to side step a potential landmine. However, Logan had to add as he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her close, "Someday, Veronica Mars, you and I will create the family we never had growing up. We will figure out together how to be the parents we never had, and we will be much happier than our parents were when they were together." He placed a lingering kiss on her lips. Then he raised his head and gave her a lecherous look. "But I think making those kids will be the funnest part!" Veronica laughed. She allowed him to kiss her again, but then ordered, "Okay, that's enough. You've got to get your work out in before the days gets away from us. We have a late night planned tonight and a full day tomorrow. No time to linger!" Logan smiled at her bossiness but went in the kitchen and grabbed a piece of fruit. He knew she'd nag until he complied anyway.

**** Pi Sigma House****

Later that night, the Pi Sigma party was already in full swing when Mac and Dick arrived. Dick held Mac's hand as he made his rounds and greeted his frat brothers. When Mac saw him head toward Chip, she grimaced in annoyance as she noticed his stepsister Daisy next to him.

"Great, the barracuda is here tonight. And from the way she's dressed, she's on the prowl," Mac observed to Dick.

"Don't worry, honey, I only have eyes for you. She's so obvious anyway!" Dick said loyally. He learned early on to never defend another girl to the girl he was with. It never led anywhere good. No matter how special and unique Mac was, she was still a woman. There were just some things all women had in common. The fact that Mac smiled approvingly at him after his comment was proof of that. Mac wasn't particularly petty or prejudiced. Rarely did she signal other girls out for ridicule or scorn. If she said Daisy was trouble, then Dick figured she was probably right. He made a mental note to never engage Daisy in conversation if it could be avoided and to avoid being alone with her at all cost, especially tonight. There wasn't anything that could interfere with or spoil his plans for tonight! He was determined.

When he said hi to Chip, he made a point of not acknowledging Daisy. However, she was not the type of girl to allow anyone to ignore her. She was beautiful and sexy and knew it. She was used to guys noticing and responding or at least giving her a cursory glance. The way Dick barely looked at her annoyed her. She decided to annoy his girlfriend and create some drama. "Hey there, Dickie! It's good to see you again. You're looking particularly good tonight." Daisy made a point of touching him as she said this and leaning into him so that he could get a look at her cleavage. Then she glanced dismissively at Mac. "Oh, it's sweet of you to bring your high school girlfriend. Since I'm sure she has a curfew, I'll be happy to dance with you as the ball drops ,and you need a woman to kiss."

After dating Madison in high school, Dick didn't have patience with girls that played the games she did. He didn't manage any finesse but said bluntly, "Are you stupid or just plain mean? Mac is the same age as me. She's my girlfriend and will be the only girl I dance with or kiss! If I wanted a skank, you'd qualify, but you'd still be the last pick." Without waiting for a response from either Daisy or Chip, he grabbed Mack's hand and moved away.

Mac was so surprised at his response and effective slam and dismissal of Daisy that she wordlessly allowed him to lead her away. Then she stopped and forced him to turn around. He was still a bit worked up and said, "What?"

She didn't even bother to qualify her actions with words but just leaned in and pulled his head down toward hers. She kissed him soundly. Then she pulled back and said, "You never cease to amaze me Dick! Thank you!"

Dick grinned down at her. "Well, no one is going to insult you around me, especially not someone who reminds me strongly of Madison!"

Mac smiled happily at him. She suggested they go get something to drink and look around for their friends.

Veronica had pulled Logan onto the dance floor when a song she particularly liked began to play. She liked to dance but for some reason rarely allowed herself to indulge in that past time. She and Lilly one time snuck out to a dance club and danced for hours. It was one of her favorite memories.

Logan enjoyed watching Veronica move so carelessly and free. He hadn't got to see her like this in a long time. He realized that he never took her dancing. Watching her shake her very fine self, he made a mental note to correct that oversight. When the music changed to a slower song, she wrapped her arms seductively around him and pulled him close. Logan suppressed a groan. It was going to be a long night!

Before they could finish the dance, Veronica felt her phone vibrate. She had stuck it in her front pocket. She was pressed so close to Logan that he could feel it too. "Sugarpuss, I think you're vibrating. If you're that worked up, we can leave now. I don't mind!" Logan offered with a smirk.

Veronica smiled and pulled back some to get enough room to pull out her phone. She read the text. "Wallace is here and can't find us. I'm going to go meet him. He came alone, so we got to make sure he doesn't feel down or depressed because all his friends have coupled up. Piz is at home with his family, so he doesn't have a wing man. I told him that I'd be his wing man and find him a potential babe." Logan laughed at that thought and watched her fly off. He hoped Wallace knew what he was getting himself into.

****Wallace on the other side of the room*****

Wallace stayed put and waited for Veronica to find him. He hated trying to look for someone in a crowd. It gave him a headache. While waiting for him, he looked at the eye candy in the room. "So many girls, so little time!" he thought joyfully. He'd been out of the game for way too long. Tonight he was determined to meet someone fun and interesting. He wasn't going to spend 2008 stuck in a book. He purposely planned his next semester's schedule so that he'd have time to date. He worked hard last the three semesters and got a lot of difficult subjects out of his way. Now was his time! He spotted his girl coming toward looking all smiles and glowing. He was relieved that he no longer had to worry about his best friend. She was more content and centered these days than he had ever seen her be. It was nice to finally see things work out with her and Logan. He hoped nothing would mess that up for once. They deserved to be happy.

"Hey, Superfly! Happy New Year!" he said to her as she approached him.

"Happy New Year to you, too, Papa Bear! Who knows? This may be the year you finally get to call me sister and not mean it as a euphemism with the way our parents have been seeing so much of each other," Veronica replied with a grin.

"You're telling me! I'm the one who gets to see them snuggling on the couch every night! I can't wait until I get back on campus!" Wallace complained.

"You're always welcome to come back and stay at the beach house," Veronica offered.

"No thanks. At least our parents keep everything PG. I can't say the same about you and Logan. My eyes don't need that so early in the morning!" Wallace complained with a smirk.

Veronica laughed as she led him toward where she left Logan. Suddenly she stopped. "That girl has a lot of nerve! It looks like I'm going to have to teach her some boundaries after all!"

Wallace looked at what held Veronica's interest. He saw an extremely fine Latino girl trying to wrap her arms around Logan. Logan was trying to pull her arms away from her. Wallace grinned at the discomfort Logan was in. He'd love to trade places with him. He said, "Wow! Now that's a fine piece of hot woman! She can wrap her arms around me any day!"

Veronica looked at him sharply. "That is not the type of girl you want to be with, Wallace! That J-Lo wannabe is a man-eater. She will chew you up and spit you out!"

"But what a way to go!" Wallace exclaimed with a sigh. Then he grinned and said, "You better get over there and save your man!"

Veronica wanted to warn Wallace further about Daisy, but she could see that Daisy wasn't taking the obvious hints Logan was trying to give her. When she got closer to them and Logan spotted her, she could see the relief in his eyes.

When she got within hearing range, she said to Logan as she approached, "Honey, did you forget to take your anti-tramp pill this morning? The doctor warned you about the problems that could arise if you partied without taking it. And I see that you've already picked up a pesky one now."

Daisy refused to let this skinny Barbie run her off. "Actually, I was just trying to show Logan the benefits of having a full bodied woman pressed up against him. It's guaranteed to keep the blood flowing and speed up the healing process. God knows skinny sticks don't provide much warmth!"

Wallace tried not to laugh, but he couldn't help it. It was rare that a girl managed to come back strong when Veronica nailed them with her deadly wit. He liked a girl with spirit!

Of course, Daisy noticed his laughter right away. She gave a satisfied smile. She added, "I see your friend here agrees with me."

Veronica gave Wallace a scorn-filled look. He raised his hands defensively, "Hey, I don't know what you're talking about. I wasn't listening. I was laughing at something I was thinking about earlier."

Daisy appreciated his clever deflection. She said, "Who's your friend, Barbie?"

"No one you ever need to know!" Veronica answered with contempt. "Now back off from Logan before I make you regret it!"

"Relax. I don't mean any harm to your Ken doll. I was just passing the time," Daisy responded innocently. Then she turned to Wallace. "Hi! I'm Daisy Gonzalez. Maybe you know my stepbrother Chip?"

"You're related to Chip? I'm sorry," Wallace offered. He did not like Chip much at all. "I'm Wallace Fennel. Veronica's best friend. But you can call me anything you want!"

Daisy smiled winningly at him. Now this guy may be friends with the colorless Veronica, but he had wit and charm. She decided to both piss off Veronica and satisfy her own curiosity. "Would you like to dance?"

"I thought you'd never ask," Wallace responded with a smile as he held out his hand.

Veronica watched in disbelief as Wallace happily walked away with Daisy on his arm. She turned to Logan. "How could you stand there and let that happen?" she said accusingly to Logan.

"Me? How am I to blame? You were right there, too!" Logan said defensively as he tried not to grin.

"You didn't open your mouth! Some help you are! I want Wallace with a nice girl who will make him happy. That girl will do no such thing!" Veronica complained.

"Careful, Ronnie. Wallace won't like you interfering in his love life. Remember what happened with Jackie. Wallace got so mad he left town." Logan warned.

"Well that was because he already was crazy about Jackie. I've got to stop this before it goes anywhere!" Veronica insisted.

As she looked at them with a sour expression, Logan noticed Dick and Mac coming toward them. "Here comes Mac and Dick," he told Veronica.

She smiled at them as they approached. Mac noticed right away Wallace dancing with Daisy of all people just a few feet away. "Oh no! You let Wallace dance with the she-witch? What are you thinking, Veronica? Wallace is no match for a girl like that!" Mac warned.

"Believe me I know!" Veronica replied. "I told him to stay away from her even before he met her. But it didn't matter. You know Wallace. He doesn't waste energy arguing. He may seem laid back and easy going, but he knows his own mind. He just saw a hot babe and didn't care what I said!"

Dick offered, "It's just a dance, ladies. Relax." He quickly realized his mistake when both girls shot him dagger-filled looks.

"It's never just a dance with a girl like that, Dick!" Mac informed him. "Since you mentioned to me earlier how she reminded you of Madison Sinclair, you should know that quite well!"

Dick realized his mistake and backpedaled. "I'll call Wallace tomorrow and warn him. Don't worry. Wallace is too smart to fall for a girl like that," he assured them. Although he said it, he also knew how long Wallace had been single. A girl like Daisy would be hard to resist for most men, especially someone single like Wallace. There'd been a time when Dick would've been more than happy to pass time with Daisy. But that's all it would've been—passing time.

"I hope you're right," Veronica said with a frown.

Logan decided both Wallace and Daisy had taken up way too much time. "You can handle her, Sugarlips. Don't worry so much. Not only is Wallace too good for a girl like that, I know you can figure out a way to make her go away," he told her. He decided giving Veronica a project besides him could only be a good thing. Besides, she loved to plot and focusing on a relatively harmless girl like Daisy would keep her out of trouble.

Veronica smiled at both his suggestion and his faith in her. "You're right. He isn't stupid, and I can handle her. Let's quit talking about her before our night is completely ruined. I'm hungry. Let's go see what these frat boys have to eat." She took Logan's hand and led him away.

As they walked away, Mac couldn't help but worry. "This has potential for all kinds of drama!" she complained to Dick.

"Well, let's not worry about it now. Ronnie is a big girl, and she's more than a match for that girl. We both know that. Let's dance. There's a nice, slow song playing, and it'll give me an excuse to fondle you in public!" Dick said gleefully.

Mac smiled and let him take her hand and lead her out to the dance floor. As they danced, Mac made a point of pressing herself up against him. She was determined to torture him as much as possible. He had kept her waiting for way too long and deserved to suffer!

Dick inhaled the scent Mac wore as he held her in his arms. She always smelled so good, so sweet. She didn't smell sickly sweet like some girls or like flowers. Her scent was unique. It was a light, tangy musk or something. He didn't know. He just knew that he liked it. It was a smell that sometimes clung to him after he left her side. He loved that he could sometimes smell her when they weren't even together. It made everything about them seem so real, so permanent. Somehow Mac's hands found themselves in his back pants pocket. Dick felt her squeeze his butt. He was so startled by her unexpected actions that he jumped back.

"Mackie, did you just grab my ass?" he asked in disbelief.

"If you have to ask, I must not be doing it right," Mac replied with a smile. "Why don't you come closer and let me try again?"

Dick felt all the blood rush to a particular spot in his body. He groaned. "Don't say things like that! I can't take the teasing. Not tonight."

"Who said I was teasing?" Mac replied as she gave him a seductive look.

"Okay, that's it! I think it's time for us to leave, don't you?" Dick asked as he pulled her off the dance floor.

"It's about time. I thought you were actually going to make me wait until midnight!" Mac observed as she eagerly followed after him.

****Neptune Grand Hotel****

About ten minutes later, they arrived at the Neptune Grand. Dick had Mac wait by the elevators while he checked in and got the keys. He also wanted to make sure the room was ready according to his specifications. The concierge informed him that all was a go, so Dick happily accepted the key card he offered and headed back toward Mac.

When Mac and Dick got to the door, Dick opened it but wouldn't let Mac immediately enter. Instead, he picked her up and carried her across the threshold. Mac giggled at his chivalry, but she couldn't help but be secretly thrilled. She had never been with a man that was even strong enough to carry her in their arms. As he placed her gently down on her feet, Mac was stunned speechless at the room. There were candles lit all over the room. Only one table light was on, so the room was cast in a warm glow. A bottle of champagne was sitting in ice. Soft jazz was playing. Mac smiled as she remembered their third date. Dick had driven them to L.A. to this wonderful little jazz club. Mac hadn't known that Dick liked jazz. It had been fun discovering that they had that in common. She looked around the room and saw that rose petals were sprinkled on the bed. However, Mac saw a huge bouquet of her favorite flower on the table. She smiled and went over to smell the blue irises. Dick remembered the slightest details about her. It really warmed Mac's heart to know that Dick had put so much thought and effort into making sure their first time together was perfect. No man had ever gone to such lengths for her before.

"The room is so lovely, Dick," Mac said to him. "It means a lot that you put so much thought into the details."

"Well, of course I did, Mackie! I know you didn't exactly want to wait so long. I'm not sure why I've been so anxious about taking this step. It's just you're so important to me. Knowing you has changed me. I like who I am when I am with you. I can't imagine my life without you. I've been so afraid of messing things up. But I know now that I don't have anything to worry about. I know we're ready to share everything," Dick replied with confidence.

"I like who I am with you, too," Mac said as she leaned up on her toes and placed a soft kiss on his lips. "I'm going to go into the bathroom and change. I brought you my own little surprise," Mac told him with a secret smile.

Dick smiled in anticipation as Mac took her overnight bag into the bathroom. He felt a bit at loose ends as he waited for her. Should he undress? Would that be too crass? He decided to at least take off his shoes and socks. Then he occupied himself opening the champagne. He was in the middle of taking a nervous sip when Mac came into the room. Dick looked at her and choked on the sip of champagne he had just drunk. His eyes widened as he coughed and took in Mac's appearance.

Mac had on tight fitting red silk teddy with black silk stockings hooked to garters on her legs. Her perfect breasts were on prime display. Dick had never seen her in anything like that. He had not even imagined her wearing something like that because it didn't seem like something she would ever wear. He knew that she had bought it just for him. He remembered making an offhand joke once about finding a picture of Marilyn Monroe hot because of the garters and hose she wore. Once he got his coughing fit under control, he put down his drink and let out a loud whistle.

"Wow! You look so sexy, Mackie! You about gave me a heart attack! Wow!" Dick fumbled for words.

Mac grinned back at him, loving his response. She knew that this would be the perfect outfight to put him in the right mood. Normally, she wouldn't be caught dead in such a get-up. However, she knew that Dick was a lot more experience than her. Even though he seemed to like the fact that she was not like the other girls he dated, she figured that he was still a guy. Guys were very visual. It didn't take much to stimulate them. But Mac was looking to make a memory that neither of them would ever forget. She wanted this first time with him to mean something special. Her first time with Bronson had been great because he was sweet and gentle. At the time, she thought it was perfect. However, she had never felt the passion and intensity with him that she felt with Dick. Her relationship with Max had been more intense. But once the glow wore off their relationship, sex hadn't been that interesting. She didn't foresee that ever being a problem between her and Dick.

"One of us has on too many clothes," Mac said with a smile. She laughed as Dick undressed in like two seconds flat. He didn't even leave on his underwear. Mac's eyes widened at the proof of his desire for her on display. It was impressive; his boasts weren't empty after all!

Dick had never been modest, so he thought nothing of stripping down to his birthday suit. He marched purposely over to Mac and picked her up in his arms once again. He grinned down at her as she tried to protest. "I liked carrying you in my arms. You're so tiny, and it makes me feel manly," Dick informed her. He walked to the king-sized bed and playfully tossed her onto it. She laughed and yelled out a halfhearted complaint.

Dick wasted no time in throwing himself down on the bed beside her. "You are so beautiful," he said as he brushed his hand over her cheek and then slowly traced the contours of her body with it. His eyes took in the beauty of her body displayed so enticingly in front of him. He leaned in to kiss her. Mac opened her mouth to kiss him back. It didn't take long for the passion to rise quickly between them. Dick's mouth soon left her lips and trailed down to her neck. She moaned as he placed a hot kiss on it. He didn't linger but moved down to her breasts. He pulled down the straps of her teddy and tugged on the silk until her perfect breasts were revealed. He paused and looked at them in awe.

Mac smiled when she noticed Dick's raptured look as he gazed at her breasts. She thought she'd feel awkward having him look at her so exposed. However, his worshipful expression eased away any of her nervousness or anxiety. Just as he had since their first date, Dick put her at ease with a look. Since he seemed transfixed, she said with mirth apparent in her voice, "Dick we're no longer at the 'look but don't touch' stage. You have my permission to move past second base!"

Dick grinned up at her and covered her breasts with his hands. He fondled them and leaned down to kiss her again. The fact that he clearly loved kissing her really amazed Mac. Until she started dating him, Mac figured he was the main event kind of guy. However, he surprised her from the beginning. Mac expected that he'd torture her some with a lot of foreplay tonight even though she thought their relationship had been nothing but foreplay.

Dick moved down her body, pulling the silk teddy down as he did. Mac raised up her hips so that he could pull it completely off of her. Soon she was naked except for the garter and hoses. He decided to leave them on. They were so hot on her! He liked the image they created. Dick rose up and looked down at her in wonderment. She was so perfect. "You're so perfect! I'm the luckiest guy in the world!"

"You're pretty amazing yourself, Dick! I'm glad we took the time to really get to know one another before we took this step. I know without a doubt that you are worth waiting for!" Mac said.

Dick didn't want to get too caught up, so he reached over into the night stand for the box of condoms the concierge told him would be there. Sure enough, it was. He pulled out a package. "I better suit up before I get carried away!" Dick explained when he paused and sat up suddenly.

"Let me do it," Mac said as she took the condom package from him. He froze as she opened it and grabbed a hold of him. He groaned at the feel of her hands wrapped around his hot length. Mac couldn't resist moving her hands up and down his length a few times before she placed the rubber on him. He shouted out her name. She grinned and finally put the condom on him. As soon as it was in place, Dick pounced on her and began kissing her ruthlessly. Her touch had incited him. He felt like he was going to go out of his mind if he wasn't inside of her soon. He had wanted to spend time on a lot of foreplay, but he now knew that wasn't going to happen. At least not this first time. He was at the end of his restraint. He hadn't been celibate so long since he first discovered sex. To have the object of both his affection and desire displayed eagerly in front of him excited him like nothing ever had before.

It didn't take long for Mac to shout out, "Enough already, Dick! I can't wait a minute longer!" He was glad because neither could he. He plunged inside of her, and she welcomed him into her wet heat. He moved over her and did his best to pleasure her with every thrust. It didn't take long before he felt himself building up to a finish. He couldn't believe how quickly the end was coming. Normally, he could go much longer. But he wanted her so much, and it had been too long. Her sexy little moans weren't helping either. He picked up the pace making sure he rubbed up against her clitoris with every thrust. Suddenly, she shouted out his name as she reached her climax. Dick was relieved because he was right behind her. He collapsed on top of her as he moaned out her name in pleasure. His climax seemed to last forever. He shuddered, and then kissed her softly before collapsing onto his back.

Mac got her voice back first. "Wow! That was the most amazing thing I've ever experienced!" she told him as she sat up and leaned over him in admiration. "You really weren't exaggerating at how gifted you were all these years. In high school, I figured you bragged so much because you were overcompensating." She grinned at him as he looked at her sharply.

"Overcompensating! I'll show you overcompensating!" Dick moved over her, looking determined, and proceeded to show her that it didn't take him very long to recover.

An hour later, Mac was breathing heavy, trying to stay awake. She felt boneless and blissfully content. Dick was more gifted than even her imagination had dreamed about. There was foreplay and then there was foreplay! She said, "Okay, you've convinced me! Some brags are definitely true. We need to take a break because I have no energy left!"

Dick gave her a smug, satisfied smile. "When you challenge the Dickster, he'll rise to the occasion!" Mac groaned at his bad joke. He looked at the clock. It wasn't yet midnight. "We have about ten minutes before the New Year arrives. I'm going to go to the bathroom; then I have a gift for you." He got up as Mac protested. "You have given me so much tonight, Dick. It's been perfect. I don't need any gifts." He looked at her over his shoulder as he walked toward the bathroom. "Trust me. You'll like this. At least I hope you will." He looked a bit unsure for a minute. Mac quickly reassured him that she'd love anything he gave her even if it wasn't necessary.

Dick came out of the bathroom in a fresh pair of boxers. Mac sat up in the bed with the sheet wrapped around her. She debated on whether or not she should put back on her teddy or grab a more comfortable t-shirt. Dick had picked up a wrapped box. It wasn't jewelry or anything like that, Mac could tell by the box. She wondered what it could be. With Dick, you could never be sure.

Dick sat down next to her on the bed, resting the box on his lap. He looked very serious, an expression that Dick rarely wore. Mac began to feel a bit tense, not knowing what to expect.

Dick said, "Mac, I know you know by now how crazy I am about you. Or rather I hope you know that. Dating you has been the most perfect dating experience of my life. You are so smart and funny and patient. You have such a good, kind heart. I have never known anyone like you before. Most smart girls look at me and dismiss me as not worth their time—kind of like Ronnie always has until very recently. I've gotten used to that and even come to expect it. But you—you make me feel like I can do anything, be anyone. I find that nearly every moment of the day when we are apart I am wondering what you would do in any given situation. I admire you more than anyone I have ever met. I dread the day you grow tired of me, and I disappoint you." Mac tried to interrupt with a protest, but Dick held up his hand. "Wait. Let me finish, please. It's not always easy for me to be serious. I'm sure you figured that out by now." He gave her a small smile at his admittance. Then he continued. "However, I can be when it's important. And this is important. Mac, I wanted to wait until the New Year to share with you what I realized at Christmas. I finally was able to put a name on what I was feeling. I had been feeling it almost from the beginning. But you were all I could see, so I guess I didn't realize what it was." He grabbed her hand and gave her a small smile. "I love you, Cindy McKenzie. I have never said that to another woman and meant it. But I mean this. I know that I can't imagine my life without you, and I hope you might feel the same. If not, that's okay. I can wait."

Mac didn't move. She sat there in complete stillness, trying to take in his beautiful, heartfelt words. Before she got a chance to formulate a reply, Dick handed her the box and told her to open it. She decided to give herself a moment and opened the box. It had a shirt inside. It was dark blue. On the back side in white lettering were the words "I love my Dick." She laughed and turned it over. She wasn't surprised to see a picture of Dick's grinning face on the front with a caption above it that said, "Meet my Dick." She laughed and shook her head at his absurdity.

"You're a nut!" she told him with a grin.

"But I'm you're nut, Mackie!" he replied with an answering grin. "If you feel the way I feel, maybe you'll put it on," Dick explained anxiously.

Mac didn't move or respond for a moment. She loved the fact that Dick was so unpredictable. Most guys with his money might try to impress a woman with expensive jewelry or something of that nature. Not Dick. He bought her a cheesy t-shirt. She grinned and dropped the sheet she had wrapped around herself. She put on the shirt he bought for her. As she pulled out her long hair over the collar, she looked at him with a smile.

"Dick, I'd be proud to wear you!" she said with a mischievous look in her smiling eyes. Dick grinned back at her. "I want you to know, Richard Casablancas Jr., that I have fallen completely and hopelessly in love with you, too. I never thought I could feel so much for anyone. It was hard for me to let myself trust a man again completely. I never really managed to do that with Bronson or Max." Dick frowned at the mention of her exes. Unfamiliar feelings of jealousy rose to the surface.

Mac touched his face with one of her hands and grabbed his hand with the other. "Don't frown at the mention of my exes, Dick. Instead, know that nothing I ever experienced could come close to what I have experienced with you tonight. Nor can it compare to what I have felt for you from the beginning. You make me laugh and bring me such joy. I never knew it could be so much fun dating. I never knew that life could be so filled with fun and sheer pleasure. The way you look at the world is so unlike the way anyone I have ever met looks at it. I learn so much from you, Dick." She smiled when Dick looked at her in surprise. "It's true. You manage to show me so many things, and you don't even realize it. You have changed me, Dick! And it's a good change." Suddenly, they heard loud cheering and clapping close by. They both looked at the clock and realized it was now officially the New Year. "Happy New Year, Dick! I can't wait to spend this year with you! And I have a feeling that this will be one of many New Years we'll spend together. I love you!"

Dick grinned widely at her, joy filling him. He jumped up and grabbed up off the bed. He lifted her up close so that they were almost eye level. "I love you, too, Mackie. So much!" He kissed her and poured all of his love and joy into the kiss. He had never felt so much before. The night had been perfect, like he imagined. He broke off the kiss and grinned down at her. He couldn't resist spinning her around as she laughed at his exuberant display. Then he fell back onto the bed with her on top of him. He brushed the hair from her face and gazed into her smiling eyes. He didn't know if they'd have forever; he couldn't bear the thought of her not being in his life. But he pushed aside any thoughts that might mar the way he was feeling. He decided to focus on the moment.

"You have made me so happy, Mac!" he said.

"Ditto," Mac replied as she covered his body with her own and kissed him. She suddenly found herself energized and filled with more than enough energy. She decided to conduct her own little experiment to see exactly how much stamina her man actually had.

More to come...

Please, please review! Your reviews keep me motivated!