This chapter was supposed to be the fluffy epilogue but it just didn't work out like I thought it would. Which led me to this title, based on both a Rob Thomas quote and playing along with the fact that I've finished this story and I'm going to Disneyland! Truthfully, I'd be going to D'Land whether I finished or not; I made the reservations months ago. This is just probably my only chance to use that reference—let's be real, I'm never winning a Super Bowl. :)

47 – It's a Noir World (After All)

As the only member of the group without head trauma, electrical burns, or the need for stitches, Wallace was able to escape the clutches of medical attention and make his way to the emergency room waiting area. There he found his mother and Mrs. Navarro huddled together while Darrel played in a toy-filled corner with a little Latina girl Wallace didn't know.

"Mom, hey," he called as he pushed through the swinging doors. He extended his arms, showing that he was in one piece, a grin on his face.

"Wallace!" Alicia cried and ran to hug him. "I was so scared. Are you okay? You look okay. Where are your clothes?"

He threw his arms out again, displaying his hospital scrubs. "They were wet, so I get to dress like a doctor. Or maybe an orderly, I dunno." He hugged her again. "I love you, Mom."

She squeezed him tightly. "I love you too, sweetheart. You're okay, right?"

"Yep. Took a little swim in the Neptune harbor but all in all, I'm the one with the fewest marks to show for the night."

"Where's Keith? Is he okay? And Veronica and Logan? Everyone's okay, right?" Alicia tugged him over to where Mrs. Navarro sat smiling wistfully at them.

"Keith needs stitches in his chin, Veronica's being assessed for head trauma, and Logan's getting an EKG, or something like that, to make sure his heart's not gonna stop after the tasing he got." Wallace dropped into the chair next to Mrs. Navarro. "How's Weevil?"

"He's got some pretty bad burns on his left side. He might need skin grafts on his back. But no broken bones and they don't think he has any serious head trauma." Mrs. Navarro crossed herself.

"Well, that's a relief. And Lynn?"

"No one's talking to us about her. I think she'll be fine though from what Keith said before he left the house." Alicia looked around them and lowered her voice. "What about Aaron? Did the police arrest him?"

Wallace raised his eyebrows. "Oh, the news isn't out yet? He's dead. Taken out by a delivery truck as he tried to escape."

"Dead?" Mrs. Navarro asked, disbelieving.

"As a doornail," Wallace said with a grin.

"Wallace Fennel. This is not a laughing matter," Alicia said sternly but Mrs. Navarro interrupted her with her hands lifted to the sky and a stream of rapid Spanish where the only words he could pick out were 'gracias' and 'diablo'.

"See. Ask her. She'll tell you." He stood and walked over to where his brother sat surrounded by colorful toys. "Darrel, whatcha up to?"

"Wallace!" Darrel shouted and jumped up to hug him. "Where'd you guys go? Where's Logan?"

"The doctor's checking him out but he's fine. Veronica and Keith too."

"Oh good. Come play with us." Darrel grabbed his hand and pulled him back to the play area. "This is Ophelia. She's my girlfriend."

Wallace banged his hand against his forehead. "I'm the heroic one, dressed like a doctor no less, and you're still the brother getting all the women. What is up with that?"

Logan had only been able to sleep for a few minutes at a time, waking with every sound coming from the hospital hallway. When his hospital mattress dipped to the side and Veronica slid in next to him, he was aware enough to raise his arm to wrap around her, grateful to have her alive and well next to him. She cuddled into his side, laying her arm across his waist. He kissed the top of her head and stroked her hair gently. "How's the head?"

"It's fine. How're you?" She touched the dark spot on his chest where the taser had burned him.

"I'm fine. That'll heal up in no time." He kissed her head again. "I'm surprised to see you. They wouldn't let me come see you."

"Do you really think anyone let me come down here?" She smiled up at him. "They couldn't keep me away."

"Well, now I feel kinda bad that I didn't try harder to get to you earlier," he mumbled into her hair.

"Seriously? If was my turn to find you. You saved me tonight. I'd be dead right now if it wasn't for you. I think I can do a little skulking in the halls to come to you." She kissed over his collar bone. "Thank you for coming to rescue me."

"You were doing okay when I got there. I actually think I messed things up. You were about to tase him when I popped up out of nowhere and threw you off your game."

She chuckled and traced her fingers along his jaw. "You did surprise me. But I don't think that I was winning. I might've gotten him but he had on that heavy jacket of yours. I think it would've been like when he tased Dad—a little painful but not debilitating. It just would've made him angrier." Her voice quieted, "He told me in the parking lot that if I screamed for help up there, he'd make me pray for death before he was done with me. But I just couldn't go quietly, you know?"

Logan swallowed hard, trying to keep his voice steady. "That does sound like your M.O. Why do you think your dad's bald? I can already feel my hair thinning."

She reached up to tug on his hair. "It's cuz you run your hands through it all the time," she teased.

"And you don't think you're a big reason for that?" he grumbled in her ear and she giggled, then laid her head on his shoulder again.

"I'm sorry I woke you. I just...I kept dreaming...about things he said. I didn't want to be alone."

"Do you need to talk about—"

She jerked away from him. "No!" The look on her face was enough to make him wish he'd been driving that delivery truck. He pulled her back against him and stroked her hair, making soothing noises.

"It's okay. Whatever you want. I'm perfectly happy just lying here with you. I'm guessing your dad finally went home?"

"Finally. He kept saying, 'But I can't just leave the kids here' until Alicia finally dragged him out. You should have heard him whining to her about his stitches. It was pathetic." They both laughed. "The doctor said I could go home tomorrow, as long as I don't have a seizure."

Logan looked at her with alarm. "You could have a seizure?"

"Well, sure, I guess, but I'm not going to." She kissed his chest. "What about you?"

"Same thing, as long as I don't have a cardiac event." She frowned at his grin. "It's the same thing as you, just a precaution. They said the same thing about Mom."

"It's only Weevil who can't leave. I feel so bad... I totally dragged him into this and now he's going to need skin grafts and the ER doctor said burns are, like, the worst pain."

"Eh, he's a tough guy. It'll increase his street cred. And, he's probably getting out of the last month of school. I bet he digs that." He tickled her gently and she laughed and pinched his side. "Hey!" he yelped, "Play nice!"

The overhead light suddenly snapped on. "No one is supposed to be playing at all," said a stern voice. They both turned to look over Veronica's shoulder to see a nurse standing in the doorway wearing a severe frown. "Mr. Echolls. You cannot sneak women into your hospital bed. It is past visiting hours."

"I can sneak 'em in during visiting hours?" Logan asked playfully and Veronica poked him, then lifted the sheet to show her own hospital gown and robe.

"I'm a resident, not a visitor." The nurse's frown turned confused.

"You still don't belong here. Where did you come from?"

"Yeah, Bobcat, where are you supposed to be?" Logan snuggled her close, pretty sure this pleasant interlude was coming to an end.

"I'm a refugee from the seventh floor. Logan gave me sanctuary."

"That's Neurology. You shouldn't be down here. I'm getting an orderly to bring a chair in and take you back upstairs." Logan pouted his lip out at the nurse but she shook her head at him and disappeared.

"Well, looks like our time together is limited, Sugarpuss." Logan pulled her back to face him and wrapped his other arm around her waist. "You'll be okay by yourself, right?"

She nodded. "Yeah, it's not too long til morning and then they'll spring us. You're coming home to the apartment, right?"

"Well, yeah, I guess. My house sorta burned down last night." He raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm homeless if you kick me out."

"Yeah, like Darrel wouldn't share his room with you." The door bumped open and a young man with a wheelchair entered the room.

"I'm supposed to be relocating one of you," he said with a grin.

"You want to go to the Neurology floor and I'll stay here?" Veronica asked with a smirk.

"No way. This bed's all warmed up. I'm not leaving it now." Logan gave her one last kiss on the top of her head and she rolled over to sit up on the edge of the bed.

"And here I thought you were my hero." She stood up and walked the couple of steps to the wheelchair, dropping down into it with a sigh. She looked up at the orderly. "Home Jeeves."

Logan laughed. "Take good care of my girl. She gets into trouble easily." Veronica rested her open hand against her chest, her face in an exaggerated, 'who me?' pose. "Yes, you. Have sweet dreams this time, okay?"

She smiled and blew him a kiss, then disappeared with the orderly into the hall.

Logan's doctor was apparently an early riser because he'd been examined and declared ready for discharge by 6:30 AM. It took more than three hours to make that happen, however, and it was almost 10:00 AM before he made his way to the seventh floor.

It appeared that Veronica's doctor was not an early bird because she was still in her bed, a scowl on her face as she looked up at the television and punched the buttons on the remote as if they'd personally attacked her. He chuckled at her fierce look and her head swiveled toward him. He saw that she'd registered who was in her doorway when her mouth dropped open.

"But you're all dressed. Why did you get to get dressed? They won't let me." She growled, and although he knew she didn't mean it in the sexy way he liked, he still felt a wave of heat shoot through his body. He walked to her bedside and smoothed his hand gently across her hair before pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"I'm sprung. Free to go back out into the world. Released on my own recognizance." He chuckled again when she looked up at him with a scowl, her nose wrinkled indignantly.

"That's not fair," she whined, and this time he laughed outright. "Why are you out and no one will even come examine me?"

"I think it's that they like you better, Sugarpuss," he said, toeing off his shoes and stretching out on the bed next to her. "They couldn't wait to be rid of me." He lay on his side and curled himself around her, face resting in her hair, planting gentle kisses wherever he could easily reach.

"Hmm," she grumbled in a suspicious tone and he laughed again.

"I don't know why you don't believe me. You're obviously an absolute ray of sunshine this morning."

She growled at him again but she had the beginnings of a smile on her face.

"You and your charming insults can go back out in the hall and find out when someone's gonna come see that I'm fine to go home," she demanded, giving him a push. "You are authorized to buy me a doctor if it means I get out of here sooner."

He kissed her temple once more and rolled back off the bed. "Most girls only want diamonds," he laughed. "You want a whole person." He bent down to give her a chaste kiss on the mouth. "Whatever my girl wants..." He spun away from the bed in his stocking feet and headed for the hall, stopping in the doorway to look back at her. "Back in a flash. Don't go anywhere."

"Very funny," she called after him. He gave her a quick wave before heading down the hall to the nurses' station.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes, my girlfriend is getting a little desperate to be released and she's wondering when the doctor is expected to be here to clear her. Veronica Mars...room 712." He leaned on the counter as the nurse looked through the charts. He tapped his fingers on the counter, feeling surprisingly carefree considering the night that they'd had and the fact that his father was dead. At least, he was carefree until he glanced back at the nurse, who was frowning as she read the chart that he could see was clearly marked with 'Mars' on the front.

"Umm, I can't really tell you anything...but the doctor is supposed to be here soon. There was a general practitioner on the floor earlier but he wanted the neurologist to see Miss Mars."

"Is there something wrong?" he asked. "She seems fine to me." He could kick himself for thinking that things seemed right with the world; he'd jinxed them by thinking things were all good. "I understand about privacy and all that but if there's something wrong with her, I need to know. I thought I was losing her last night; I'm not really ready to go through that again."

The nurse looked at him sympathetically. "It's probably nothing. She wandered out of her bed last night. Luckily, another staff member spotted her and brought her back to the room. She wasn't out for too long but it is concerning when patients get confused and wander away. And, violent or aggressive behavior can oftentimes be a side effect following a traumatic brain injury. She cleared a neurological exam last night but, this morning...well, you were just in with her, weren't you? Did she seem off to you? She made a candy-striper cry a little while ago. With the aggression, the attending really wanted another neurology consult."

Logan leaned his elbow on the counter, holding his head in his hand as he tried to keep his laughter under control. "You think her aggressive behavior is a sign of a head injury?" He kept his head down, trying not to snort with laughter.

"It definitely could be that," the nurse said and Logan couldn't control himself. He covered his eyes with his hand and laughed. The nurse apparently misinterpreted his action because she patted his arm sympathetically. "I'm sure she'll be fine. Let's let the doctor look at her before you get too concerned."

Logan looked up at her, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. "Her wandering last night? She found out where I was—probably by sneaking into this very computer—and came to see me. She definitely wasn't wandering around confused. And as far as violent or aggressive...she actually seems pretty mellow to me. She just wants to go home so she's a little crabby but all-in-all, she's in pretty good spirits considering what a crappy night she had." He looked at the nurse, smiling as he shook his head. "You haven't begun to see her be aggressive."

"You were admitted here last night too?" the nursed asked.

"Yeah, and I've already gotten released. So, that aggressive thing? It's gonna get worse the longer she's stuck in that room." He snickered again. "She did send me out her to buy her a doctor, which isn't really what I'd call normal behavior but, like I said, she had a really bad night. I think she just wants to get home so we can start putting this episode of our lives behind us." At that moment, he heard his name called and turned to find his mother.

"Logan, baby, how are you?" Lynn swooped up and wrapped her arms around him. "Let me look at you. Did he hurt you?"

"I'm fine, Mom. A little burn on my chest but other than that..." Lynn stood back, holding his hands in hers, slightly away from their bodies as she peered at him.

"I've got one too," she said. "My shoulder." She hugged him again. "I am so sorry. This whole thing is my fault. If I'd just listened to you...can you ever forgive me?"

"Lynn Lester?" The nurse interrupted them in an awe-filled voice. "Is it really you?"

Lynn turned toward the nurse with a bright smile, her arms wrapped around Logan. "Hello! Yes, it's really me. I understand why you might not be sure." Her voice lowered conspiratorially. "I haven't been out of my house without makeup for years." She looked at Logan. "I thought I'd find you in with Veronica. They released me and I'm going to Jan's. I was going to offer that you come with me but I know you won't go. I just wanted to thank Veronica for everything and apologize before I go. I've already been in to see Eli. He told me you two don't always get along. He saved my life, Logan. I'd better not hear that you're ever giving him a hard time."

"It's usually the other way around, Mom, but Veronica makes us play nice too." He shook his head at the fact that the one thing his mom and girlfriend agreed on was Weevil. "Speaking of, she sent me out here to try and get someone to spring her but these nice people are concerned that her aggression is a sign of a brain injury."

Lynn looked at him and giggled. "Really?" She turned back to the nurse who was still gaping at her. "That's just Veronica. You're much better off just giving her what she wants. There was a nice, young doctor downstairs who released me. Can we get him up here maybe to see her? I'm sure she wants to get home."

Logan gave Lynn a quick hug. "So, can I leave you to deal with this so I can go back in with her?"

"Absolutely. I'll pop in when we're done to say goodbye." She kissed his cheek and turned back to the nurse. "So, I know everyone's working as fast as they can but is there any way to maybe get a doctor up here for Veronica sooner rather than later? I'd be so grateful if you could help facilitate..."

Logan slipped into Veronica's room then, cutting off his mom's voice. Veronica was staring up at the television but as he entered, she jumped and turned it off. "Did you buy me my doctor?"

"Actually, I think that's exactly what Mom is doing out there. My charm is nothing compared to Lynn Lester's." He walked back to her bed and she lifted the covers so he could slip in next to her. "You can still watch TV if you want. It's not like we can mess around in your hospital bed."

"No, that's okay. We need to talk." Her subdued voice made him raise his head off her pillow to look at her.

"What's the matter?"

"Well, what I turned off was the news. Everything about Aaron is starting to get out. Not a lot of detail yet but the part about Aaron and Lilly is leaking out already."

"I still can't believe it. We were blaming Duncan when it was my own da...Aaron all along. And I feel so guilty that we must have been in the pool house when she realized..." He paused to take a calming breath. "I know Aaron killed her but I feel like it's my fault that she was even around him."

"Logan stop." Veronica reached across him to take his hand, tangling their fingers together, then pulled their joined hands toward her, placing a kiss in his palm. He watched her sigh, then press their hands over her heart. "You don't really have the facts straight and there's more you need to know. I'm not sure how to tell you. I was kinda hoping I could get Dad to help me but if the news is already leaking out, I can't let you get blindsided because I'm nervous about how to tell you something."

Logan felt like the room was spinning. "Did he do something to you last night? I thought we got to you before he could..."

"No, no, Logan, it's nothing about me. You did save me—before he could do anything like what you're thinking of. I'm just fine."

Logan sighed with relief. "Oh, thank God. You really scared me."

She leaned forward to kiss him and the look on her face made his relief short-lived. "Yeah, what we need to talk about...it's a totally different subject. It's about Lilly...and Aaron."

Veronica knew she was dreaming and she was trying as hard as she could to wake herself up. She tried to cry out and she tried to thrash but she couldn't break her paralysis as Aaron pushed her down the stairs into the cabin of the boat where he was going to rape and kill her. He picked her up off the floor where she'd landed and threw her onto the bed, then stalked after her. She could hear herself moaning as she struggled to wake up but nothing happened. Until suddenly, Aaron was gone and Logan was there.

"Ssh, ssh, ssh, wake up, baby, wake up. You're okay. He can't hurt you. He won't ever be able to hurt you." She finally swam to the surface of the dream and woke to Logan rocking her in his arms. "Come on, Veronica, wake up now."

"I'm awake," she said, snaking an arm up to wrap around his neck, pressing her face against his chest. She heard her dad's voice in the doorway and looked up at him.

"I'll get you some water," Keith said softly and disappeared. Logan kissed her forehead and sat her up a little.

"Are you all the way awake?" he asked, looking at her closely.

"Yeah, I'm awake. I'm fine." She sighed and met his eyes. "I'm sorry I woke you up again. You're going to want to move in with the Fennels so you can get a full night's sleep."

"Nope," he said, leaning forward to kiss the top of her head. "I'm good right here."

Her dad appeared in the doorway again with three bottles of water. He entered the room and sat down at the end of the bed, laying the bottles on the mattress. Veronica started to squirm out of Logan's arms and Keith laid his hand on her leg. "You're fine, honey." He reached for a bottle and twisted it open, then handed it to her. "Here you go." Veronica accepted it gratefully and took a long drink. Keith handed another bottle to Logan and then opened his own.

"So," Keith said, after he'd taken a drink, "I talked to Dr. Tony yesterday."

"Dad, no, I don't want to go to a counselor. I'm fine." She looked up at Logan, seeing that he looked as skeptical as her dad did. "I am. I'm fine. I'm getting better. Some nights are just harder. It's because there was something on the news about the case against Abel and they talked about Aaron. I didn't wake you up last night, did I?"

"That's because you woke yourself up and managed to get into the living room to crawl in with Logan. The fact that you didn't wake me up doesn't mean that you're fine." Keith looked at her sternly and Logan jumped in.

"To be fair, she didn't wake me up either. She just spread out on top of me. I didn't even realize she was there until my alarm went off." Veronica smiled at him but Keith was clearly not persuaded.

"Look, this is going on two weeks. It is a problem. Dr. Tony gave me a list of counselors and you've got an appointment tomorrow. This cannot continue. You need to get this stuff out and I know you don't want to talk to us about what happened."

"It will just upset you. There's no reason for all of us to be worked up about this." Logan huffed indignantly.

"Do you seriously think that we're not worked up anyway?" he said and his angry tone made her shrink away from him. "My dad did this to you. He's dead, thank God, but he's still here with us every night that we have to wake you up in tears. How do you think that makes me feel? And do you really think that if you'd just stop waking us up, your dad and I wouldn't care about how you're feeling?" He took another drink from his water bottle, breathing heavily.

"And that is why Logan is going to see someone too," Keith said and Logan lowered the water bottle, his eyebrows raised and his mouth open slightly in surprise.

"I am?"

"Yeah. You both need to talk through some stuff with someone who you don't feel the need to protect from reality. Plus, equal opportunity coercion is the best way to make Veronica cooperate." Keith smirked at them, then looked directly at Logan. "As long as you're being tortured too, I know she'll go."

Logan snickered and shook his head. "Out-maneuvered by a Mars again." He took the last draw off his water bottle. "All right then. I guess I'm going back to bed so I'm ready for my head shrinking." Veronica looked at him with her lip pouting out but he only kissed her temple and started to stand up.

"No, you can stay. She seems to sleep better when she's with you and it really is too crowded on that couch. But I'm leaving the door open and I sincerely hope that neither of you make me regret this." Keith took the empty bottles and stood up. "I'll see you both in the morning." He left the room and Logan looked at her with wide eyes.

"Well, this is an unexpected turn of events." He stood up from his spot on top of the comforter and she shifted to lie down again, flipping the covers down so he could climb in.

"Yeah, it is." She rolled over onto her side and tugged his arm so he was spooned up behind her, arm around her, with his hand resting on her stomach. "I know he must be worried if he thinks condoning you in my bed is the only alternative." She leaned her head back against his chest. "He's right though. I feel safe when I'm with you. Aaron can't get to me."

"I'm glad but he's not going to let you move in with me when the house is done. If talking to someone might help, I think we should do it." He kissed her neck. "Now in a year, we'll graduate; we'll both be eighteen. You wanna go to Stanford; I'm sure there's somewhere requiring less effort around there where I can go. I'm voting for an apartment together. He's probably not going to be crazy about that plan but he'll come around."

Veronica twisted to look at Logan over her shoulder. "You're planning our lives a year in advance?"

"Of course. I've actually got a lot more plans but I don't think you're ready to hear them." He kissed the tip of her nose and she smiled up at him. He was right; she wasn't ready to talk about the future but that didn't mean she didn't think about it.

"So do you think we'll actually be having sex by then?" she asked in a whisper, then giggled when he waggled his eyebrows at her suggestively.

"Yes, by the time we start to cohabitate, yes, I believe we will be having sex." The hand on her stomach slid up to gently cup her breast and she sighed.

"Don't make me wait a year," she said and turned back to face away from him, cupping her hand over his and snuggling into the pillow. She heard his rapid intake of breath and then his mouth was at her ear.

"Yes, ma'am."

"All right, I'll see your snickerdoodle and raise you a chocolate chip." Weevil pushed the cookies into the pile in the center of the table. Logan looked at his diminishing pile of cookies and then at his cards and scowled.

"I call."

More than two weeks after the fire, Weevil was still in the burn unit and was scheduled for another skin graft surgery in two days. Logan and Veronica had been visiting regularly and the visits generally turned into poker for cookies. Weevil's grandmother had plenty of free time while the Echolls' house was being re-built so she kept Weevil well-stocked in chocolate chip cookies and Veronica kept bringing him snickerdoodles as well. Logan suspected that she ate almost as many chocolate chip cookies as she brought in snickerdoodles but Weevil didn't seem to mind and anything that made her happy was fine with him.

Weevil laid down his cards with a flourish but Veronica rolled her eyes and produced a superior hand. As she pulled the pile of cookies toward her with a chortle, there was a knock on the door and Hector and Felix walked in. They stopped short at the sight of the trio in the room as Weevil looked up, grinning. "My boys. Come on in. Let's see if either of you can do anything about the little blond card shark. Echolls and I aren't having any luck tonight."

Veronica picked up a cookie from the large stack in front of her and bit into it deliberately. "Tonight? What are you talking about? Name me one time in the last two weeks when you've beaten me." Logan watched cautiously as both Felix and Hector reacted to the idea that they'd been visiting Weevil for the last two weeks.

The time since Aaron had died had not been a peaceful one as far as the PCHers were concerned. As soon as the news got out that their leader had nearly been murdered by an Echolls, they had decided that an Echolls needed to pay. As the only Echolls still in Neptune, Logan was the obvious target. Their threats and intimidation at school were being well managed by Clemmons, who always showed up to intervene before things got too ugly. Unfortunately, Clemmons wasn't available off school grounds. A week earlier, the Xterra's rear window got shot out as it sat parked in front of the Mars' apartment. It had already been fixed and then stored in the garage at the Echolls' estate. The house was unlivable due to the fire and water damage on the second floor but the garage wasn't affected so the Xterra simply got stored away and Logan became a passenger with either Veronica or Wallace most of the time. That had turned out to be a good thing since the paparazzi in town due to Aaron's death found the bright yellow truck to be an easy target. Bumming rides enabled him to keep a much lower profile with the photographers. The PCHers had quieted down after the shooting and Logan hoped that maybe that had been enough to satisfy them for now. Neither he nor Veronica had wanted to involve Weevil while he recuperated but once the surgery was over and Weevil was feeling better, Logan was pretty sure he was going to need to ask for an intervention.

Now, in Weevil's hospital room, Felix was silent but Hector spoke up indignantly. "Weevil, man, what are you doing? This guy's dad tried to murder you and you're hanging out with him?"

"Opie didn't do anything to me and I was there by choice. Plus, he managed to save our girl here—" Veronica smiled at him and handed him a cookie from her pile. "—so we're good." Weevil stopped and looked suspiciously at Hector and then at Felix. "Have you been doing something stupid?" He looked at Veronica and Logan. "Have these guys been bothering you?"

Veronica tilted her head, her eyes fixed on the PCHers. It was all Logan could do not to burst into laughter at the panicked look on Hector's face. "Nope. We're all good. Right guys?"

"Absolutely," Felix said. "Deal me in. Blondie's not gonna beat me in poker."

"You don't have any cookies so you're going to have to play with real money," Veronica said flatly. Logan's eyes met Weevil's and they burst into laughter.

"It's a buck a cookie," Weevil said.

An hour later, Veronica had most of the cookies and most of Felix's money. Hector had only hung around for about fifteen minutes and then he left. Visiting hours ended and Weevil's nurse shut down the poker party. Not even offers of cookies could persuade her to let them stay longer. Logan guilted Veronica into leaving half of her cookie earnings with Weevil and they headed out with Felix in tow.

"Why didn't you tell him what was going on with us?" Felix asked as they waited for the elevator. "Obviously this stops now. Weevil made it pretty clear that he don't hold a grudge so we won't either but I don't get why you didn't just tell him. He woulda stopped this thing sooner."

Logan shrugged. "He's got enough to worry about trying to get better. And, I do feel bad about what Aaron did to him, the son of a bitch. I just figured that as long as things weren't escalating, I didn't need to bother him." The elevator arrived and he put his arm around Veronica to lead her in. "Of course, if anyone targeted her, I was gonna get both Weevil and his grandmother involved."

Felix blanched. "Abuela Lettie? Oh no, that's not cool. No one wants to get on her bad side."

Veronica rolled her eyes and Logan heard her mutter, 'big bad gangsta', under her breath.

"So, umm, since you guys are all pals with my boy now, can I ask you something? It's like what you said, there's something going on and I don't want to bother him about it right now." Felix shuffled his feet and kept his eyes pinned on the elevator numbers over the door.

"Sure, I guess," Logan said hesitantly. "What's going on?"

"I think some of the boys have started to deal for the Fitzpatricks," Felix said, still not looking at them. Logan's face twisted in confusion.

"No offense, but you're a gang. Isn't that what you do?"

Veronica answered him. "Weevil doesn't allow it. And he would never allow them to hook up with the Fitzpatricks." Logan watched her lock eyes with Felix. "Not after what they did to Felix's brother."

"But I'm not sure if I should talk to him about it. If some of the boys are going off the path, there isn't anything he can do about it right now. But the Fitzpatricks, most of them anyway, they're bad news. They make people disappear." He looked away from Veronica to Logan. "That's what happened to my brother." The elevator reached the lobby and they all stepped out. "I'm just not sure what to do. And I'm not sure who to trust. Besides Weevil, of course. He's like my brother."

"Maybe once the surgery's done and he's had a couple days to rest up, maybe talk to him then," Logan suggested, feeling completely out of his depth.

"And in the meantime, watch your back," Veronica said. They'd reached Felix's bike. "If you don't know who to trust, don't trust anyone." Logan cringed a little inside at the advice but then she pulled him closer to her and he realized that she didn't think that way about her own life anymore. "See you later, Felix. Next time, bring cookies." Felix laughed and raised a hand as he got on his bike.

"So the war with the PCHers appears to officially be over," she said, pulling him closer. "And I'm pretty sure the tabloids have to move on soon to whoever the next famous trainwreck is gonna be. You'll be able to get the Xterra back out of the garage again soon."

"You want me to start driving it again?" Logan asked incredulously as they reached her car and he opened her door.

"Sure," she said, settling into her seat. He closed her door and walked around to the passenger side.

"I'm confused. You never stop harassing me about how ugly you think it is. Now you want me to start driving it again when I can just ride around with you instead?"

"But see, by the time it's dark, it's chilly outside and the only place I can take you for some alone time is out to the lifeguard tower. There's not enough room in my car. We need the Xterra back." He snorted a laugh.

"When you put it that way, I'll get it out of the garage tomorrow. And I'll put in a call to the contractor on the house. See what's taking them so long to get my bedroom back in working order."

Six weeks later, Logan pulled the Xterra into the parking lot at Java the Hut, Backup riding shotgun. He needed smoothies and he wanted to remind Carrie that the first slumber party since the house had been remodeled was the next day. The pool house was gone, replaced by a rose garden and a greenhouse, Lynn's idea for a new hobby, even though she still hadn't actually returned from Jan's. Veronica was at the office but he was pretty sure that when he showed up with the smoothie, he'd be able to talk her into ditching work and coming home with him. Keith was out of town so Logan had collected Backup, eliminating the only reason they'd have to go back to the apartment. They had pretty big plans for their first night back in his house alone and Logan was a mass of nerves.

The Hut was quiet when Logan went in. He saw Carrie back in the kitchen and waved to her. She smiled and came out to the front. "Well, hello there. All ready to start entertaining again? I'm expecting a lot out of this event. You are not to allow Wallace to pick the movies."

"Hey, if he gets to the DVD player first, I've got no control. If you want to pick movies, get down to the screening room first."

She frowned at him. "Some host you are. I'm going to have to speak to the hostess...see if she can control her BFF."

"Good luck with that. When something matters to her, oh yeah, you bet she'll manage the hell out of it but Wallace's movie choices? That will not warrant her intervention." He leaned on the counter. "So, I need a couple of smoothies. Can you hook me up?" She rolled her eyes.

"I'm trying out a new recipe. I'm getting bored with the old one." She laughed at his look of dismay. "Come on. Take a chance. You liked the last one; you'll like this one too." She turned and headed back to the kitchen.

"I'd better," he called after her. The bell over the door sounded and he scooted down slightly to give the newcomer space at the counter. He felt someone right behind him and he glanced over his shoulder to see who was crowding him. It was Duncan.

"Oh shit, DK," Logan said, startled out of any coherent thought. "When did you get back to town?"

"Well, if it isn't my sister's murderer's son," Duncan said, venomous. Logan blinked at him, trying to process what he'd just heard. The shock of seeing Duncan slowed Logan's reaction to his words, but as they hit home, Logan felt his whole body heat with the anger he'd been keeping in careful check for so long.

"And if it isn't my girlfriend's rapist," he answered in a low voice. "I was glad to find out that you didn't actually kill your own sister. Unfortunately, no such reprieve from being a rapist. And when you thought she was your sister. That's just sick. Thank God it turned out that she's not related to you." He edged in closer. There was no one else around them but this was a conversation that no one should accidentally overhear. "You know, once upon a time, we were friends. I never, ever thought that you could do what you did. At least when we thought you had killed Lilly, we thought it was an accident. But sleeping with someone you thought was your sister, while she was unconscious, and not even taking any precautions to not get her pregnant or protect her from STDs, that is the sickest thing. Aaron was a homicidal pervert but you...how could you?"

"What are you talking about?" Duncan said, disgust on his face. "I told her when she accused me; I didn't rape Veronica. Yeah, we were both a little messed up but this bullshit that she was unconscious? Trust me. She wasn't unconscious." He leered at Logan who clenched his fists. "She was as into it as I was. You're just jealous that I was her first. And of course I used protection. I don't know what you're talking about with this STD bullshit. It was my first time too. No one gave anyone any STDs. But no, obviously I didn't want to get her pregnant so we used a condom."

Logan was trying to process what he was hearing. "That was your first time?"

"Of course. You know that. You may have been whoring your way through town but Veronica and I were in love. We were waiting until the time was right." The self righteous look on Duncan's face made Logan nauseous.

"And the perfect time turned out to be in the middle of a party when she was drugged and couldn't say no to sex with her brother. You're a real prince, Donut." Logan turned away, trying to keep himself from attacking his former best friend. That kind of a scene would not help anything. "You stay away from her. She doesn't want anything to do with you. You've hurt her enough." He saw Carrie come out of the kitchen with the smoothies, slowing as she saw Duncan, her eyes narrowing.

"Hey Carrie, what's up?" Duncan said amiably. He clapped Logan on the shoulder. "Well, I just wanted to let you know I'm back in town to stay. I'll be seeing you guys around." Logan stood rigid, at the counter, watching Carrie's face as she watched Duncan walking away. He heard the bell over the door against and slumped against the counter.

"What the hell just happened?" Carrie asked. "You look like you're about to throw up."

"It's very possible." He looked up at her. "Duncan's back." He sighed and shook his head. "I've got to go warn Veronica." He pulled out his wallet and gave Carrie a ten, smiling at her weakly. "I hope this new smoothie recipe is good enough to wash down this kind of crappy news."

"Yeah, me too. Are you guys going to be up to having your party tomorrow?"

Logan considered for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah. We can't let the assholes in our lives ruin our plans. We'll see you tomorrow. Thanks, Carrie." He turned and headed out to the car. Backup barked once as he got in the truck.

"Sorry buddy, I didn't mean to be gone so long. Had a very unpleasant blast from the past in there." Backup whined and stuck his head back out the window as Logan backed out and headed for the office.

According to Duncan, he'd been a virgin when he raped Veronica. And, he'd worn a condom. Obviously, chlamydia could be transmitted orally, they'd learned that the hard way, but he was pretty sure that Duncan and Veronica had never done that. All of these thoughts were leading Logan to one terrible place. Duncan wasn't the only one who'd raped Veronica at Shelly Pomroy's party.

How am I going to tell her?

So, ten months after I began, this re-imagining of Season 1 finally concludes. I hope you've enjoyed.

Tons and tons of thanks heaped on KMD0107, who has taught me a lot in the last year and has been so helpful going along with my psychotic need to post a chapter each and every Saturday. She's made time for me in her very busy life and I am so appreciative.

In case I haven't self-promoted enough and you don't already know, next Saturday, the first chapter of 'Dissolutioned' will post. This story is completed but I didn't want to post multiple stories at one time so it's been politely waiting its turn in my flash drive. It is a post S3 story where Veronica doesn't take nine years to figure out what she wants in her life but, as we know, the path to true LoVe doesn't always run smoothly. Anyway, if you follow me, as opposed to just following ACOC, you will get a notification next Saturday. If you do not follow me—hey! give it a try—or else just remember to duck back in here on December 3.

Thanks for following along with me and thanks to all the faithful reviewers. I've developed a few good friendships with some of you over comments and that makes the stress of pumping out a new chapter every week worthwhile. This is a great fandom and I'm happy to be a part of it.