Chapter Six

Dick was in the MRI tube, he hated these things but the examination doctor had requested he take one after the x-rays and oddly enough a sonogram.

They had looked at the files he had brought along, at the video taped appointments that he had had with several specialist and other than a few grim remarks had said nothing to him.

When the noise had abated, he was told that the doctor would get the results later that evening and asked if he wanted to wait.

"No, its fine, this is only going to be a repeat of what I already learned." Dick stated and left the room. Seeing Mac in the parking lot leaning against his car, had him
smiling as he said "You know that the driver would have let you sit in it."

"I didn't want to, I am enjoying the sunshine." She said with a smile and handed him the official paperwork. Seeing him reading the words, then his eyes meet hers then go down to stare at her stomach, she was hugged tightly and then told thank you. "I have to admit, I am a bit shocked at how quickly this worked.

"Me too." He admitted then hugged her yet again. Resting his hand against her still flat stomach he asked "What's next?"

"I have to make an appointment with my own doctor and then I am sure she will assign me some prenatal vitamins and I will have a whole list of things to eat and not to eat."

Dick pressed a kiss to her cheek and then held her tightly against him, hiding his emotions at the idea of them having a baby. Of there being a part of them together, that will live long past his death. Yet, he also felt a sense of guilt knowing he was not the man she wanted to be parents with.

His phone rang and Dick saw that it was the hospital. Answering it, he was not happy when they insisted he come back in immediately. "Why, so that you can tell me I have a little less or a little more time than I was told the first time. No, I just-."

"Mr. Casablancas it is urgent we speak with you." He was told.

"It will have to wait." He snapped.

"It can't. You need to immediately stop taking that supplement you have been prescribed. Look, just come back inside." He heard.

Mac suggested that they just get it over with and they went back inside. Meeting with the doctor, Dick said "I don't know why you are wasting what little time I have left with more nonsense. I can't imagine that that supplement can do much more damage then the cancer."

"Well if you had cancer it couldn't but since other than what I would guess is an urgent need for glasses you are fine." Dick's eyes went to the man snapping at him and blinked. "Now you are getting it. I am not sure what happened at Neptune General but you no more have cancer than I do. Your brain scans are perfectly fine."

"But how?" Mac asked as she held Dick's hand. "He was told he was dying. By several different doctors."

Showing them the two scans, how the brains weren't even the same size, he showed them the various colors and what they meant. "Simply put there was an x-ray mix up and your doctor for some reason never noticed. The specialists never examined you and they went by the original x-rays and blood and tissue workups. The part that concerns us is that you were told the growth was rapid and a second set of x-rays to back that up were taken but they also had to belong to the other patient."

Dick was stunned as the words rattled around his brain that he didn't have cancer that he wasn't going to die. "Wait, but I have been dizzy and passed out a few times."

"That is the result of the electrolytes in the supplement messing with your healthy immune system." The doctor patiently explained. "I will contact your insurance company and have them begin exploring how this happened."

Dick thought about what Keith Mars had said to him about his father then looking at Mac who was now pale as a ghost and closed his eyes, angry at himself for falling for one of his father's cons. "Give them the name of Richard Casablancas Senior. I think that they are going to find my father is behind this."

Hearing Mac gasp, he stood and reached for her. "Mac lets go."

"Okay." Mac felt stunned at the good news but couldn't help wondering what this meant for them and for their baby. Her hand automatically went to rest on her stomach as she reeled from the idea of his being so thrown by this that he ran.

In the car, they sat there and he looked at her and said "Right now I am sure you want to kill me."

"No." She said quietly then looking at him said "You aren't dying Dick. No cancer. That is good news."

She reached out for his hand and placed it on her stomach. "This is also good news. We are having a baby."

"That is why I said you must want to kill me." He replied his face full of guilt as he realized he had unknowingly trapped her with his dad's lies.

"Why?" Dick saw that Mac was looking bewildered so he tried to find the words to explain. Getting his thoughts together, he began to answer her but before the words were spoken, she leaned over and pulled his head down into a kiss then whispered "Our son or daughter will have you in their lives. I don't have to pretend that the idea of you dying doesn't upset me. No more having to hide that it was making me cry, no more having to pretend that I don't have feelings for you. I think that this is good news."

"Mac, you don't have to pretend. You don't have to make this into something it's not." Dick found himself pinned to the seat as Mac settled on top of him as she placed her knees on either side of his hips, grabbed his face and glared at him as she tried to avoid getting a steering wheel up her butt. "What?"

"You have to be the most the most, the most obvious person in the world." She said pressing a kiss to his lips. When he didn't respond she whispered "I love you, I loved you when I left Hearst. You don't get it, do you?"

"No, tell me again." He said his eyes suddenly widening as he was told that she loved him and that she was very glad he wasn't dying.

"Uh, folks, you do know you are in an open convertible." Weevil said his eyes any place but on the make out session in the car. He expected that behavior from Dick but not from Mac.

Mac looked up with a happy expression on her face. "We're pregnant, Dick doesn't have brain cancer and I think I am going to embezzle all of his father's funds just to make sure that he stays out of our lives."

"Congratulations on the baby, Sucks that he thought he had brain cancer but at least it was wrong and please don't tell me about your criminal tendencies." Weevil retorted.

When they went back to kissing, he whistled out loud until they stopped. "Get a hotel room, will yah."

"Why would we do that when we have a bed?" Mac moaned as Dick tried to maneuver her a bit so that he could start the Audi.

Weevil went on up to visit his grandmother, shaking his head in amusement as he sat there with the elderly woman who had raised him.

When Logan arrived at the house after a day spent chasing after Dick's father's shady business dealings he heard the very distinctive sounds of a very busy couple.

Grabbing his overnight bag, he went to crash at the Mars place. Greeting Keith he said "I think that Mac and Dick got things straightened out. At least it sounded like it."

"Spare room is all yours." He said then seeing the small black leather bag said "Though, I guess you know that."

"Have you talked to Veronica?" He asked.

"I left her a message; it went straight to voice mail all day." Keith replied. "If you are hungry there is pizza in the fridge, I have to go talk to Leo who is doing Weevil's shift. His grandmother is sick."

When Logan's head came up at that announcement, Keith said "Just old age. Weevil sits with her when she gets put in overnight for observation. It helps keep her calm."

It was almost three in the morning when Dick and Mac realized that they hadn't shared their news with anyone. Looking at the clock, he pressed a kiss to her lips, Dick said "It's the middle of the night. We can wait until tomorrow."

"What are we going to do about your dad? I meant what I said, Dick. About hacking in and taking his money away." She vowed even as she rested against his bare chest. "Even if I am happy that we got together, it doesn't change what he did."

"I know, I just don't think telling the police about it and then doing it would be such a good idea. Maybe just the threat of it might make the Treasury Department be able to trace him moving it around." Dick said thoughtfully before rolling them over so that Mac was now lying underneath him.

"It's six AM in New York though." Mac said suddenly and Dick groaned and rolled off of Mac and to her side. Burying his head into her shoulder, he listened as she pressed the buttons to call her best friend.

Veronica let herself into the apartment, tossed her bag into the bedroom and went to get something to eat. Finding the half empty pizza box and two empty beer bottles she was debating lecturing her father about his eating habits when she heard her phone ringing.

"Did I wake you?" She heard.

"No. Mac's its three in Neptune, what are you doing awake." She asked.

"Its more like who I am doing." Mac said with a chuckle as she saw Dick's face turn purple and shake his head at her. "Anyhow, when you wake up, I need you to hurry up and get to Neptune. I need your help Bond. Let's just say that we have a bad guy to take down and if you don't want your godchild born in prison you will get here
to stop me or represent me."

"Godchild? You're pregnant? Already?" Veronica felt a sinking sense of disappointment. She had discovered some payments between Dick's father and his doctor that had her convinced that he wasn't dying. Now Mac was going to be trapped by her own kindness and pity for Dick.

"Yes." Mac heard Veronica's tone and knew that she was going to have to have a long and honest talk with the blond that might just cost her her best friend. "Be happy for me, I am."

"I can promise to try." She heard. "Though, if you are already pregnant why are you still having sex with Dick?"

"Why does anyone have sex?" Mac asked then looking at Dick said "Veronica, so that you don't say anything that can't be taken back. I love him; I did when I fled Hearst."

Veronica was silent then reminded herself that no one least of all Wallace had understood her relationship with Logan at certain points. "You couldn't fall in love with Weevil or even Wallace?"

"Sorry, Bond but no. I had to fall in love with a bad boy." She replied then when he whispered something into her other ear, she said "Dick is protesting, saying he isn't a bad boy."

Veronica admitted "I have heard the rumors. I will see you tomorrow Q."

Hanging up, she skipped the beer and went to where her father used to hide the good stuff. Getting out a glass and the bottle of scotch, Veronica poured in two fingers and said "To you Mac. Here is hoping you know what you are doing."

The man standing in the doorway of her old bedroom took in the beautiful blond standing with her back to him and hid his yearning for her with a snide comment "You know that they sat it is bad luck to toast alone."

Veronica shrieked and turned shocked at the sound of Logan's voice. In stunned surprise, she said "What are you doing here?"

"Here as in your father's place? Here as in Neptune or the more existential meaning as in on this planet or plane?" He asked.

"Same old Logan; can't get a straight answer if I tried."

"Well depends on whether or not I am being interrogated or am being questioned by my girlfriend." He replied. "Oh and the answer. I came back when I heard about Dick, was staying with Mac and him but let's say that they were loud and busy when I left. Your dad let me crash in your room."

"Wow, things have changed. My dad would have never let you cross the threshold before." Veronica remarked.

"I think he knows that by now if I want to be in your bed, it's just to sleep, nothing else. I have come to enjoy not having my balls kept in a vise." He replied.

Veronica looked down, stunned at the attack then hearing him apologizing said "Why, if that is how you really feel?"

"It isn't. You have this way of making me so insecure that I end up using you as cannon fodder. I am sorry, Veronica." He replied sincerely. He didn't want to be attacking her but at the same time he didn't want her to think he would just roll over for her. "I really am."

"Where have you been or is that a secret?" She asked the hurt tone in her voice making Logan feel a sense of regret but knowing if she had known, she would have tried to talk to him at least once and he had needed this time to put himself together.

"A cabin in the Adirondacks. I went there to heal and started to piece back together my heart. I wrote, only left the park when I had to. Its three in the morning, can the rest of this wait until its morning." He asked.

When he headed towards the sofa, she stopped him and said "I will sleep on that, I fit a heck of a lot better."

"I am too tired to argue and too numb to be a gentleman." Logan replied as he went to get her one of the pillows and tossed a blanket at her.

Dick woke up alone in the large bed and laid there trying to deal with the various truths. He wasn't dying, Mac was having his baby and his father had some sort of sick game going on.

Rising, he went to find Mac; sure that she was already plotting how to escape. He was sure she regretted what she had told Veronica on the phone the night before. Instead he found her in the kitchen talking on the phone to someone.

"Anyhow, since Dick isn't dying, I uh, am hoping to convince him that we need a honeymoon. So either he agrees and comes willingly or I kidnap him and drag him off until he admits to loving me as much as I love him."

Dick stood there, listening, hiding his smile as he listened to Mac talking to whomever about their future. When she ran her hands down to her stomach and patted it gently he had an idea and went with his first instincts.

Walking over he pressed a kiss to the back of her neck and then ran his hands around her waist and pulled her back against him. Whispering in her ear to hang up, he saw her gasp then tell someone that she would call them back.

When she had hit end, he turned her around and leaned down to capture her lips in a kiss. Breaking the kiss, he struggled to breath then said "If I don't tell you I love you just yet, does that mean we still get that honeymoon."

"If you want one." She said then looking at him said "Just so that we understand each other, I love you and not because of this little one."

"I love you too." He said with a shy smile that surprisingly reminded her of one of the few things she still recalled liking about Beaver. "I have for a while."

"So, since you are going to live, where do we go from here?" She asked her voice catching as she asked what he wanted to do. "If I get a vote, I want there to be an us; for us to be a family in ten months."

"Ten months, I thought it was nine?" He asked his eyes going down to her stomach as if he could see their baby already.

"Forty weeks, I was a bit surprised when Carmen said ten months too." She said with a laugh. "So what do we do first?"

Resting his head against hers, he said "I go get glasses. Are you sure you want to be married to a man who wears glasses."

With a soft laugh she said "I kind of like the idea of you wearing glasses, I think you will be hot looking."

Blushing a bit bemused at how Mac could make him feel like an inexperienced school boy, he said "Okay, let's find out how quickly I can get an appointment. I already threw out the supplement and then we have Mr. Mars find out what the hell my dad is up to."

"Let's let him do that and you need to figure out what to do about your company." She said reminding him that he had a lot of people to tell he wasn't dying and a company to get back on track.

"I would rather stay here with you, with our baby." He said leaning down to kiss her. Hugging her tightly, he said "I am a bit scared though, Mac. Look how I treated Beaver."

"I am not your mother. I won't run, won't leave. You aren't your father, Dick. Speaking of him, you go talk to your assistant; I am going to speak to Mr. Mars."

Dick almost felt bad for his dad at the idea of Mac going after him like she clearly wanted to. Calling to make an appointment to get glasses and to make an appointment to get a complete physical, he drove to his office.

Getting off the elevator, he found Kayla already at work. "We need to talk." She followed him in and took a seat across from him. "My dad lied; he hired someone to convince me that I was dying. I don't have cancer. Oh, and Mac is pregnant."

Trying to keep up with the news, she said "Let's break this down a bit. You aren't dying?"

"The insurance company physician didn't just look at the x-rays I was given, he ran a whole series of tests, recommended that I get glasses and then told me to throw out the supplement that it was making me sick." He told her what he had learned.

"So what did you mean with the next statement?" Kayla asked and saw Dick's grin. "I guess you spoke to her."

"Yes, she and I talked, but we had already found out about the baby before we learned of my father's treachery. I owe my dad a big thanks for his lies giving me the impetuous to be honest with her. " Dick announced.

"So does that mean a certain set of plans to be removed from a certain dusty shelf?" She asked pointing to the artist rendering of his dream house.

"I have to talk to Mac. Maybe while we are on our honeymoon. I figured that since we have a light schedule until we get things back up to speed, I would like to take Mac on a trip someplace."

Kayla smiled and hugged him. "I am so happy for you."

Dick looked at Kayla and said "When I get back, we need to make a few changes, hire you an assistant so that you can take charge of a few more projects because I am not going to be a parent like my dad was."

Mac was leaving the house having made a few calls before heading out when she saw Logan pulling into the driveway. "Just where were you last night?"

"Are you going to pretend that you even noticed I was not here?" He asked hugging her as he looked at a happy Mac. "From the looks of things, you told Dick your feelings."

"That is part of it, but I will send you to visit him so that he can tell you the rest." She said hugging him. Sniffing near his hair, she hid her smile as she noticed the very distinctive and rare perfume that Veronica had chosen on a trip they had taken to a perfumery in Boston.

"He went to his office?" Logan asked a bit surprised.

"Yes, do you need the address?" She asked.

"No, I saw the building on my way here from San Diego." He replied then seeing Mac with her computer bag asked "Where are you heading to?"

"I am off to see Veronica's dad." She announced. "It's about something that Dick will tell you about."

"Please call Veronica." He said as he hugged Mac yet again then drove off in his rental car.

Mac went to the Sheriff's station and was greeting Leo when she heard Veronica's voice. Turning towards Veronica she saw her speaking to Weevil. "Mars get your butt over here."

Veronica waved at Weevil who went to speak to his boss and hugged Mac. Taking a step back, she said "You look different."

"I will explain why when we were done with your dad." Mac said then when they were in the conference room she said "Care to explain how you ended up in Neptune this quickly?"

"I was here when you called me. I had just gotten to dad's place when you called last night." Veronica said as they sat down and waited for her dad.

When Keith entered, frowning, he said "Veronica, I need to speak to Mac for a few minutes, alone."

"It's fine sir." Mac said. "I gather the insurance company called you?"

Nodding yes he said "They told me what happened and what they suspect."

"Someone care to share?" Veronica asked.

"Dick's dad lied, set it up to make Dick think he was dying. He isn't." Mac said bluntly, just ripping the band aid off quickly, knowing that Veronica would have a lot to say on the subject.

"Oh shit and you are pregnant, already." Veronica said appalled.

"Veronica, I am happy about that." Mac warned then looking at Mr. Mars said "I was hoping to read the file, I might have an idea what he is up to but I am hoping Veronica will come to the same conclusion without me telling her."

"I will send in the files, including what I have that the Feds had." Keith said then congratulated her on the baby. "Mac, how did Dick take the news?"

"He was relieved to know he won't be dying, ecstatic about the baby but furious about his father. I am the one who threatening to destroy Dick Senior. I know he had money hidden. I would like to find it and return it to his victims."

Dick saw Logan exiting the elevator and greeted his friend. "Let's sit down."

Joining Dick in his office, he looked around and gave a low whistle. "Who is the architect you are working with?"

"Anthony Fisher, he was working for a huge firm doing subdivision housing but once he got his license he went out on his own. I offered office space for five years in exchange for him designing the building." Dick said as he showed him the view.

"Damn." Logan took in the ocean view then looking at Dick said "Things seem busy around here."

"I found out Keith Mars was right to be suspicious. The insurance company doctor said I wasn't sick, showed us the fake x-rays as well as my real x-rays. I am not dying."

"Son of a bitch." Logan sat down again and stared at Dick. "For real?"

"Yes, I am in need of glasses but not brain surgery." He stated. "Mac and I, well we were a bit busy making up for lost time."

"I know. I heard you two last night. It's why I left the house yesterday." Logan said with a smirk. "From the sounds of it, you made up for a lot of lost time."

Flushing a bit, Dick said "I uh, was happy about the idea of having the next sixty years to make her happy."

"Congrats, man." Logan said in shock at the idea of the man in front of him worrying about someone's happiness other than his own.

"We are also pregnant." Dick announced. Seeing Logan's surprise, he said "Well we were trying rather frequently to have that happen."

"Seriously, congrats all around, man." Logan said quietly.

"We are going to get away for a few weeks. I uh, made some calls, including to my mother, she told me a few things, things that explain what she thinks my father is up to." Dick said grimly. "We have to go meet Keith and Mac."

"And Veronica." Logan said. Seeing Dick's grimace he said "You do know that Mac and she are tight, you can't get away from that."

"It's not that. I just think she is still stuck in the past. Mac and I were talking last night about a lot of things." Dick told him thinking in astonishment about how a an hour long conversation had changed his life and his perspective on the relationship between his brother and Mac. Unlike what he had always believed they hadn't been destined for happily ever after, interrupted by his brother's insanity but a simple high school romance gone bad.

"You talked? When did you have the time? The only words I heard were you panting out her name in between groans and her rather breathlessly calling out yours." Logan said.

Flushing a bit, Dick said "You must have been here before Mac got hungry for food. We did a lot of talking, and I think I figured out what my dad was really up to but we also had a very difficult talk about Beaver."

"You do know she wasn't in love with him, don't you?" Logan asked. Seeing Dick nodding, he said "I understand what she was going through because I was in the same situation with Lilly."

Veronica thought back to what Dick's newest wife said about Dick Sr. wanting a daughter and asked Mac for her phone. Dialing the number listed for Dick, she heard him saying I love you, shivered and with a sharp tone said "It's Veronica."

"Why are you calling me on Mac's phone, is there something wrong?"

Hearing his frantic tone, Veronica quickly assured him that everything was fine and handed Mac the phone. "Tell him you are fine and then I need to ask him a question."

Mac took her phone back and then asked Dick what he was up to at that moment?

"Logan and I are on the way to meet with you. And I guess Veronica." He replied a bit reluctantly. "I need to figure out what my dad is up to."

"Well on that note, Veronica can wait until we meet to ask you her question. I was thinking Luigi's in ten." Mac said and saw Veronica nodding enthusiastically as she gathered the paperwork they needed.

Arriving at Luigi's, Veronica saw Logan speaking to a tall man whose face she couldn't see and Dick nearby talking to the hostess. Walking over expecting to hear him flirting with the busty blond she instead heard him asking about a private room and green tea.

She told him they didn't have a private room but that she was sure that they did have green tea for his wife. Veronica heard Logan's soft laugh and turned to see Madison had entered the joint. She nodded at the two guys, greeted the guy that Logan had been talking to then went to eat, without so much as a single word to any of them. "Same old Madison."

"No, the old Madison would have been making nasty comments, this Madison is too aware of how lucky she was and is smart enough not to do that any more." Dick replied.

Seeing her sneer, he said "I know what happened, why you hate Madison so badly for what happened at Shelly's party. It never made any sense to me, Veronica. Madison didn't know her drink was drugged, yet you blame her. Why?"

Veronica wanted to snap at him, wanted to rail about past hurts but before she could, Mac had finally entered carrying the bag from the store she had gone into next door. "Hi."

Watching the decidedly loopy expression that Dick's face got as Mac joined them and how he gently pulled her closer, Veronica felt a twinge of regret as she finally saw them together. It was very clear that Dick loved Mac and that she had equally deep feelings for him. Something about how Dick was with Mac had her realizing that this wasn't the same immature asshole that she had known all those years ago, that this Dick had changed.

She saw Logan watching her and had seen his eyes on her as she had been about to rail at Dick but had noticed how he had relaxed when he had seen the married couple together. When he nodded at her, she wanted to scowl at him but found it hard as they were led to their table and Dick was gentle with Mac.

When she laughed and kissed him and reminded him she wouldn't break, Veronica heard Dick's response and just had to get away. Standing, she said "I will be right back."

Rushing outside, she leaned against the building, trying to calm down, trying to accept that Mac was happy. Seeing a white handkerchief being waved in front of her, Veronica took it and wiped the tear that she had been trying to fight.

Looking up, expecting to see Logan, she was shocked instead to see Madison standing there. "What do you want?"

"World peace, to feed the world and oh, an endless supply of dark chocolate truffles but I will settle for you going back in there and supporting Mac like she has always done for you." The blond said.

"Veronica, you are the only in still stuck in the past. Learning about Mac and my drama, it helped me realize that the idea I had of being oh so superior was nothing more than an accident of birth or in our case a mistake at the hospital." Madison said with a grimace. "Look, Mac and I made peace, of course it took her slapping the shit out of me, but we did. Don't you think that maybe, we should declare peace. Look I am sorry that you ended up with my drugged drink but whatever else you think of me, you should know. I would have never knowingly drugged anyone."

Seeing Veronica puff up, Madison said "Look, we are never going to be friends, but we are also not these age old enemies you want us to be. See, I have retired from the battlefield. You won, you won when you were twelve, I just never noticed it. The only good thing is that I don't think you did either."

"What are you talking about?" Veronica snapped.

"Logan Echolls has had a thing for you since we were kids. I was there that day, you know." Madison said.

"What day?" Veronica was beginning to feel angry at the smug grin on her face.

"When Logan and you met at that soccer match. He smiled at me when he went inside with his parents and the Kanes. I can still remember how it made my heart flutter that Aaron Echolls' son had smiled at me. Then I saw him watching you, he almost got hit in the head with a ball he was so distracted, Lilly saw it too. I think he had smiled at her as well. Its funny, the two of us our hearts beating wildly and who was it that Logan couldn't take his eyes off of. You, with your grass stained clothes, your hair coming out of the braid and sweaty face. I just never understood how powerful that had to have been. I mean, he dated Lilly, so I was so sure back then that it hadn't meant what I thought it did."

"What are you ranting about, Madison. Stop wasting my time and just tell me." She said rolling her eyes.

"Okay, I will make it short. Yes, I got Logan into bed in Aspen, but it took him being falling down drunk and crying about you to get him there. But it was your name he called out and I realized he didn't even realize who I was. I hated you for that for so long, but now, I just pity you. You had a great guy who worshiped you but you threw him away because you just had to be VERONICA MARS, who needs no one. Who believes that the whole world has to change to fit into the boxes you want them in, but doesn't seem to realize that maybe, just maybe you were part of the problem. Anyhow, I came out here for Mac's sake, So get over what your issues are and get in there and support her like she has always supported every asinine decision you have made."

Veronica looked through the window and saw the way Mac kept anxiously looking her way and smiled at her friend then mimed texting before looking at Madison who was still standing there. "What? Seriously, you expect me to believe that Mac slapping you around for a few minutes changed your total personality."

"When I found out about the switch, so much made sense to me. I meet my biological parents, I felt like I belonged. It was earth shattering, Veronica. Even worse when I realized that Dick had feelings for Mac. After Logan's sober rejection of me, it hurt like hell. You know, I only dated Dick because my dad knew his professionally and he was sort of third in line for the throne at Neptune. To know that if things had gone the way they should, I would have been so much happier."

"Sure Madison, I am sure that you were so happy to know that your real parents were not rich." Veronica retorted.

"Veronica, rich parents or not, I would have been where I was either way, you want to know why, because I am ambitious, don't have a shy bone in my body and don't mind breaking the rules to get what I want. It's partly why I have never fit in with the Sinclairs. My parents aren't exactly rule breakers. Their idea of the perfect vacation is going through musty old buildings and museums, Lauren has actually read most of the books in that library my dad is so proud of, I can't stand it. I think that the room would be put to better use as a media room."

Veronica looked at Madison and saw that she meant what she said and could only say "Then it is a shame that you two weren't switched back."

"Maybe not, I think it is fates way of making sure that the Mackenzies had a daughter who would be there for them. Mac is a much better daughter to them than I ever would have been. We sold the store this week and she could have asked for her seed money back but she didn't, she put it in a trust for them. I don't know that I would have done that. Now, you had better get back inside, before Logan's laser glare kills me."

With that, Madison walked off and Veronica saw her getting into a car with the tall man from inside Luigi's. Back inside, she said "Who was that guy with Madison, he looks familiar?"

"Our old computer tech at Neptune. Remember Remy?" Mac asked with a smile on her face.

"That French guy?" Dick said scowling a bit at the idea of Mac remembering him.

The waiter came over and delivered their food, Veronica sighed with pleasure at the sight of the manicotti. When she moaned loudly after biting into it, Dick looked at her and said "Would you like to be alone with your food, Ronnie. I am sure that he can get you an extra order to take home and use however you want."

"She isn't that bad, you should hear her when she gets her first Coney Island hot dog in the spring. That is embarrassing." Mac teased.

"So says the woman who can't walk past the cheesecake display at Whole Foods without buying one." Veronica pointed out. "Unlike you I have never eaten a whole cheesecake for dinner."

"Ah, that was the best. Chocolate marble cheesecake with caramel spread on top." Mac's wide grin had Dick wanting to laugh but her next comment had him worried as she looked at Veronica and said "I was reading up on cravings and stuff. I almost can't wait. Ellen said that she ate dill pickles dipped in hot sauce when pregnant with me. Mom said she wasn't that bad, she just ate stuff with coconut on it all the time."

Logan was feeling a bit queasy as he asked "Why would anyone eat dill pickles in hot sauce?"

"According to the book I just picked up, the cravings are caused by a hormone that is telling my body that it is missing a nutrient or something that is in whatever you crave." Mac said then pulling out the book handed it to Logan only for it to be intercepted by a worried Dick. "What?"

"Pickles in hot sauce?" He asked as he went to the table of contents. Then finding a section he found way more interesting he turned to the correct page and Veronica who was seated across from him, saw Dick gulp and seem to flush. When his eyes went to Mac in a sort of exploratory manner, she was even more curious then he leaned down and whispered something in Mac's ear that had her now flushing.

Taking the book back, Mac hissed "It does not say that Dick."

Veronica saw Mac reading the page that Dick showed her then her eyes widening before she turned blood red. "Mac what is it?"

"Nothing." She muttered trying to put the book away but now Logan was intrigued because Dick looked spooked, Mac looked embarrassed and Veronica just looked confused. He reached for the book and said "What page, Dick?"

"312." He replied and Logan promptly turned to page 312 and began to read. Laughing he looked at the couple across from him and said "Dick, why are you upset?"

"Nothing, It's nothing, really." He said then when Logan handed the book to Veronica and pointed out the relevant section, Mac and he both were sputtering. As she read the paragraph she looked up and said "Really, four times the normal sex drive. Dick, no keeping Mac barefoot and pregnant, just to experience that."

Laughing Dick said "That would kill me for real. Big Dick wouldn't have to worry then."

That had the smiles fading as Veronica remembered her question for Dick. "That trust fund that you got when your dad fled, how was it set up?"

Shrugging as he didn't get why it was important, Dick said "We would have gotten it when we were eighteen. Which for me was a week before graduation. There is another sum at twenty one with the balance at the discretion of the executors, its pretty standard, Veronica."

"So was it only for Beaver and you, or were there codicils if there were more kids?" Veronica asked.

"No, my grandfather was the one who pushed for Bettina and Dick to marry. At least, I think that it is only for their kids but it is pretty much a moot point, Veronica." Dick said.

"Why?" Logan asked. "I mean if it is just for your dad's kids, he can still father kids even at his age."

"It wouldn't matter." Dick said with confidence. "I got whatever Kendall didn't loot of Beaver's company, it's what I used to help set up the center. When I turned twenty five, Mr. Grafin and Mr. Davis turned the entire trust over to me. I used that for the clinic."

"Does your dad know that?" Veronica asked.

"I think so, I mean, he was…" Dick thought about it then taking out his phone, found the right contact and pressed the button to call the law firm. Being put through right away, he asked Mr. Davis whose answer kept Dick tied up for a few minutes. The others kept eating until he hung up. "Okay, so Mr. Davis said that there was no legal reason to inform my dad because he was no longer involved with the trust. Oh, and by the way, he managed to loot the trust of almost three million dollars before he got kicked off the board."

"Call your dad, tell him because I think that that young wife of his is there only as a dupe." Veronica felt bad for poor Stephanie who was being snowed by Dick Senior.

Dick said he would take care of it back at his office then asked "Did you figure out what this was all about."

"Yup, your dad needs your company to launder the almost four hundred million dollars that he stole from his investors." Mac replied. "He can't just access it without going to jail for a very long time. Plus his investors would be able to get the funds back if it was proven that they were part of the money he stole."

"He socked it all away. He can't get to it because the Feds are watching." Veronica added. "From the looks of things, he was bleeding the company dry with the intention of running away with Kendall. Kendall had her own plan after that. My guess is that your dad would have died and she would have run off with the Fitzpatrick brother of her choice."

"I wonder if Beaver knew?" Dick asked.

"About what your dad did with the money, no. That your dad was planning on fleeing, maybe." Veronica admitted.

Mac said "I don't know if he crashed his plan out of anger or resentment but I do know that he didn't want your dad to win. I truly think that he thought if your dad left your mom would come home though."

"Yeah, Beaver wanted a mom, but Bettina wanted to forget her mistakes." Dick said.

As they finished their meal, Dick said "I just realized that I never called her, never told her when I found out I was sick. How sad is that. I only called her when I needed to figure out what Big Dick was up to."

Rubbing his back as they stood, Mac kissed him then said "Veronica and I are going to be meeting with the insurance guy at the police station. I will see you home about five."

"Four?" He asked.

"Fine, four." She said with a laugh that turned into a sigh as he leaned down to kiss her then patted her stomach. Looking for her bag with her book, she saw that Dick had it and was about to ask for it back when he leaned down and said "I want to read about this increased sex drive thing."

Veronica watched with a slight smile on her face as Mac talked to Lauren who had been down at the police station paying a parking ticket. "I just got caught up and forgot to put a quarter in the machine and it has cost me fifty bucks, That is so wrong."

Reading where she had gotten the ticket, Veronica said "You got a parking ticket at the library."

"Don't laugh." Lauren muttered then asked Mac "So when do you find out if you are having a boy or a girl because I think that Lauren would make a nice name for a girl."

"It would work for a boy too." Veronica pointed out with a smirk only to be told by Mac that she had lots of time to think up baby names and that Loren for a boy wasn't going to be on the list.

"Fine, but just think on it for a girl." Lauren said as she stubbornly clung to the idea. Thankfully the Insurance fraud investigator showed up and soon had Veronica and Mac in an office. As he took what they already found, he said "Dr. Posier slipped out of town already but the Trauma center is cooperating fully. We have found out that it was another of his patient's records that he showed Mr. Casablancas."

"What about his father?" Mac asked.

"The Federal authorities are looking into that gentleman; they will let me know when he has been arrested so that I may interview him."

Mac was feeling a bit frustrated as she went home. Working for an hour on her own programming, she was just about to call Dick when she had an idea. Moving to her main desk top, she began to do some research and within minutes had figured out how to track the money.

"Hey." Looking up, Mac saw that Dick was carrying in bags of groceries. "I went to the store."

Joining him, needing to stretch her muscles a bit, Mac followed him to the kitchen and helped put away the fruit, veggies and dairy he had gotten. "What's all this?"

"I was reading this." He said holding up the pregnancy book. "These are what they recommend eating. I know you like your veggies and stuff but we have mainly been doing take out which can't be good for you."

Standing on her tiptoes, Mac kissed him and said "I thought you only wanted to read about my increased sex drive."

"We have time before that kicks in. Right now, you should be feeling your breasts aching and wanting to take naps soon." Dick said his eyes on said breasts before he said "They will also start to swell a bit soon."

Mac was about to make a joke about that when she was asked about how it had went at the station. "Pretty much no where but I have an idea. I am going to use my newest program to search for Dick's funds. If it works, I may sell it to the government to do the same."

When she was moving back towards the study, he deftly edged her towards their bedroom and insisted on taking a nap. "I'm not tired, Dick."

"Good because neither am I." He replied and shut the door behind them before kissing Mac and unbuttoning her shirt at the same time.

Chapter Eight Epilogue

Two weeks later, Dick Casablancas Senior was arrested on a laundry list of charges ranging from insurance fraud to bigamy. While most were sure that Kendall was dead, she had never been officially declared so, so Dick's marriage to Stephanie had turned out to be null and void.

He had called his son wanting him to bail him out of jail only to be told that Dick was the one who with the help of his wife had gotten him arrested. After angry shouts about how could his son betray him this way, Dick Senior had been advised by his attorney to try for a lessor plea, that he would have to give back the funds but that it might help his cause.

Being selfish, the man rejected the offer, certain that once again he would receive very little actual time in jail and that when he got out he would need the money. The judge had not been please and when the con man was informed that he was going to prison for twenty to life, he had scoffed in disbelief, until the moment bailiff walked over and placed him in handcuffs, he had expected to get out of the charges.

In Neptune, Mac was trying to survive her pregnancy when she seemed to have gained several overly protective men into her life. Weevil, Keith Mars and Logan hovered more than Dick did and that was saying something.

Her husband had already set up a daycare on the premises of their office building so that their child would be there during the day when they had no choice but to be there. He had already begun redesigning his dream house into their dream home, moving the master bedroom to the same floor as the family bedrooms, not wanting their children to be far away from them even if it was a mere fourteen steps.

Other than the overprotective husband and friends, Mac had had a rather boring pregnancy. Veronica had ended up moving back to Neptune, she was currently working on taking the California bar exam so she had ended up working at Mac's office.

Mac's clients had been thrilled at the idea of a fully licensed PI and future lawyer working to catch the hackers and scam artists and Veronica was finding that she enjoyed the very parts of the business that Mac loathed.

She had even been required to escort one of Mac's gaming clients out to lunch. Yes, Logan had hired Mac to create a game based on his highly successful mysteries series. Then had driven her so insane that she had begged Veronica to get him out of their office.

Lunch had led to another lunch, which had led to a take out dinner which had lead to talking at the beach. Eventually they had both been honest with each other. It may have been eight years down the road, but it had happened.

Things had gone well, there had only been one small snag in the rekindling and solidifying of their now permanent relationship. See, Logan had ended up taking in a stray Cat while hiding in the New York woods. Veronica had been given a gift of a puppy by her her dad.

The two fought regularly like cats and dogs did, with the usual results. The dog cowering in a corner and the self satisfied cat sitting on a high book shelf, smirking at the canine.

But eventually even Backup Junior and Bogart the cat came to a truce, thankfully just in time for Mac to go into labor. Labor you ask?

Well it was a typical first baby. A few days later, a strung out father, sure that his son or daughter (sex unknown sense Dick was scared to find out ahead of time) was never going to be born. A fairly calm mother and a rather strange extended family all eagerly awaiting the next generation.

Theodore Samuel Casablancas was born just past midnight on a Saturday morning, his father swearing off sex, his mother knowing that would change long before the six weeks abstinence requirement was up. A healthy little boy, he quickly got the world's attention by peeing on the delivery nurse who wasn't too happy when the new father loudly exclaimed that's my boy.

Dick Senior would find out he was a grandfather a year later while reading an out of date Business Week. An article inside mentioned the new environmentally friendly mall that had opened in the wealthy seaside community of Neptune California and how the owner/builder would exit his own opening ceremony when his wife went into labor.

He would shake his head in disgust at his son not having learned any business sense from him. "Dickie boy, you don't abandon work to be there for something as mundane as the birth of a child. I taught you better than that."

Dick Senior would be so annoyed, he would actually send a letter to his son telling him how he was a disappointment to him and that he was foolish to let a woman have that much control over his life.

Two months later, he was shown to the office of the warden where he had expected to be told he was being freed, that there had been a grave miscarriage of justice. No, instead he was informed that the FBI while looking for terrorist funds had found his secret bank accounts. His victims were being reimbursed, he would have nothing left when he got out.

Richard Casablancas had a heart attack right there in the warden's office and passed away. He would have hated his funeral. Three people showed up. His son who was there because his wife had convinced him it was the right thing, said wife had attended and so had his first ex wife who had made peace with her son.

Dick and Mac were now the happy parents of a happy little boy nicknamed Theo. by his dad. Veronica and Logan were always willing to baby-sit, mainly because Veronica was trying to find a cute way to break the news to her new finance that they were going to have to speed up the wedding plans so that their own little one was born after the wedding.

Logan had convinced her that they should take Theo. to the beach one afternoon while baby-sitting their godchild. Veronica had agreed, hoping that she would find the words to tell him what she had now known for three weeks.

She need not have bothered. When they arrived at Dog Beach, she found their family and friends waiting and that Wallace was in town that week, not for the conference like he had told her but because Logan had told him that they had to move up the wedding.

So Mac was walking down the aisle in a simple summer dress, amused as her husband held their one year old son up at the make shift alter. Wallace beside him because he had protested being a bridesmaid, so he was the Best Man for the bride.

Next to arrive was the bride, laughing hysterically in spite of her attempts to be serious as she walked down the aisle to stand next to Logan wearing a simple summer dress in yellow.

Looking at her groom when she was standing in front of the priest, she had to say "I always knew we would have a shotgun wedding."

Logan winked at Keith Mars who was putting away his empty pistol and said "Just like I always knew that it would be you forced up the aisle by said shot gun. Now let's get married before our daughter is born."

Keith shook his head, not happy with either of them for the backwards way that they always did things. As the judge pronounced them husband and wife, Mac saw Dick's eyes on her and blew him a kiss.

The happy couple were heading back down the aisle when Dick's arm went out to hug his wife close. With a smirk, he leaned down and asked "Do you know where we are?"

He saw she didn't so he pressed a kiss to her lips then said "Same spot I tried to kiss you nine years ago."

Just as they were trying to kiss again, this time around their now sleeping son, they hear Logan crowing that he had always known that it was her.

Lifting his head, Dick looked to where Veronica and Logan were joking, arguing and laughing then at his wife. "This, this is what life is all about."

"Insane friends, nutty family." Mac said with a bit of a scowl at Madison who had crashed the wedding with Casey Gant. Looking at Keith Mars, Cliff and her dad along with Dick's assistant as they were clearly talking about the missed field goal that had cost the Charges a spot in the playoffs, she added "People we truly care about."

"And one more thing." He said sniffing their son with a resigned smirk on his face. "Poopy diapers."

When Mac quickly pointed out it was his turn, he walked back to the truck and simply changed Theo's diaper. Looking at his son, amused to see that he was grinning at him, he said "Your life, won't be perfect, but I promise, you will have all the love you need."

Hearing a soft sniff, he saw his wife watching and whispered to Theo., "Your mommy is getting all mushy, I think we should convince her to duck out of here and we should go home and spend a family day. What do you think?"

Theo. giggled, his blue eyes moving between his mommy and his daddy as he kicked up his feet covered in white socks, his shoes already missing. "I think that was a yes, Mr. Casablancas."

Looking around, they saw that the party was in full swing but that the happy couple were already slipping away. Dick gently placed Theo. in his car seat, got rid of the stinky diaper then helped his wife up into the seat, driving off towards their Happily Ever After.

The end.