Lucky Charms, a veronica mars fanfic

Title: Lucky Charms
Author: Sarah :)
Pairing: Logan/Veronica
Rating: R
Spoilers: Through 2x13, Ain't No Magic Mountain High Enough, but just to be safe.
Word Count: 8,651
Summary: There has only been one constant in Logan's life. And it fades after multiple washings.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Duh.
Thanks: One day, herowlness started randomly sending me quotes. Which was fun. Until she sent me this one, and my traitorous brain decided it needed a fic based around it. That was bad enough to begin with. Then she suggested that I bring in my One True Fic Passion (if you've read my other fic, you know where this is going). And I did, because I'm easy. Thank you, Lizzy, for the quote that kicked this whole thing off, for all of your super helpful feedback, and for flying in and saving the day when things looked bleak. Thank you also to lex83 and ladydisdain225 for lending me their totally sweet beta powers, and for all the encouragement. Also thanks to ladydisdain225 for developing a canonical underwear timeline which was incredibly helpful. Hee.
Final notes: Written for the loveathons flashback challenge. AND THIS IS THE CRACKIEST CRACK FIC THAT EVER CRACKED. Or, pretty close to it. It's not one, but two crack conventions, rolled into one. And now with more fluff! Enjoy! ;)

"You know, Hobbes, some days even my lucky rocketship underpants don't help."
—Calvin; Calvin and Hobbes

Lots of people were superstitious. Some believed in unlucky numbers, or bad omens. That seeing a black cat or walking under a ladder would do them in. He was much more logical than those people, of course. Please. He had stepped on enough cracks in the sidewalk to know that those things were all made up. No, there was only one true indicator of fate in the world, and he had never doubted its accuracy.

Logan Echolls was a firm believer that one's underwear was the ultimate measure of human experience.

"Be there tomorrow at 8:00. Make sure no one sees you, okay?" Veronica slammed her locker shut and began to walk away. "We need to find out what Thumper's up to, and you being followed isn't going to help us."

"Do you need me to do anything?" Logan asked. "I can help out with something."

Veronica shook her head. "I've got it all under control. If we're lucky, they'll walk right into our trap. You should be a free man by the weekend." She smiled at him. "I've got to go and finish setting up. See you then."

Before she could walk off, Logan took hold of her wrist and their eyes locked.

"Thank you, Veronica. For everything."

She nodded as she returned his gaze. "What are friends for, Logan?"

Logan watched her as she walked off. Not only was he a soon to be ex-accused murderer, but Veronica was also treating him like a human being again. Their relationship over the past few months had been strained at best, but after being in such constant, close contact with him while working his case, she was warming up to him again. This was shaping up to be a good day for Logan, indeed.

Green underwear days always were.

He was twelve when he first met Veronica Mars. Logan had been hanging around the soccer fields, waiting for Duncan's game to end, when he noticed the girls' match occurring on the adjacent field. Being a red-blooded American male, of course, he headed over to watch.

"Logan? Logan, come here!" Logan turned around and discovered the source of the voice, the one and only Lilly Kane.

"Hey, Lilly. Are you waiting for Duncan, too?" He couldn't quite fathom the thought that Duncan's older sister would single him, of all people, out of the soccer-watching crowd, no matter what the reason. It was a well-known fact that seventh graders were much, much, too cool to be seen around sixth graders. Duncan got a pass because Lilly was his sister, but everyone else knew the drill.

"Yeah, right," Lilly snorted. "Like I want to sit around and watch him get all sweaty? Eww. I happen to be supporting my very best friend in the whole wide world, thank you very much. This is the last game of the season, so I decided my presence was needed."

Logan nodded. "Duncan mentioned you and your friend being tied at the hip. I'm assuming she is one and the same as this best friend?"

Lilly's eyes sparkled. "Duh. What else did my little brother say about her?"

"Your friend?" Logan was puzzled. "I don't know. He said she was pretty, and then he did this whole stuttering thing, and I couldn't get much more out of him."

Lilly clapped and squealed with delight. "Donut might have it in him yet! Seriously, those two are perfect for each other. He's totally into her, but you know Duncan. He couldn't find his own ass if it wasn't attached, let alone snag himself a girlfriend."

He was a little taken aback with how candidly she was talking to him (after all, he was just the best friend of her annoying little brother, as she had made clear countless times before), because she was still the infamous Lilly Kane, but Logan did his best to play it cool. He was twelve years old, after all, and not just some small child.

"Cool. So, this friend of yours? When do I get to meet her?" He grinned. "She sounds hot."

She rolled her eyes. "Perv much, Logan? She'd never go for you. She and Duncan are, like, way meant to be. Her name is..." Lilly trailed off and waved to someone behind him. "Veronica Mars! Your cheering section is feeling neglected!"

Logan turned around and was greeted with the sight of what had to be the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Lilly was hot, obviously, but this girl...she was different. She had an air of innocence that he didn't think Lilly Kane had ever possessed.

"You rang?" Slightly out of breath, there was a light sheen of sweat on her skin which caused Veronica's soccer uniform to mold to her indecently. Logan attempted to speak, but was saved when Lilly, as usual, took the initiative.

"Veronica Mars, meet Duncan's best friend, Logan Echolls. Logan, this is Veronica. Logan just moved to Neptune, Veronica, so you'll probably be seeing him a lot. He practically lives in our cabin when we go to the lake every summer."

"Nice to meet you, Logan." Veronica stuck out her hand to shake his, her politeness not enough to mask the subtle blush that had begun to work its way up her cheeks. "Duncan talks about you a lot, so it's good to finally know who you are."

Logan smiled as he accepted her hand. "Don't believe anything he says about me. He's a chronic liar, you know."

Veronica giggled, her smile breaking any awkwardness the two may have felt around each other. Lilly watched the interaction between them with an unreadable expression on her face. "Here's your stuff, Veronica," she groused, handing over a gym bag. Veronica began frantically scrabbling through the side pocket when Lilly rolled her eyes. "Front left, V. Don't worry I didn't lose it."

"You never do." Veronica grinned brightly as she slipped something small and plastic into her pocket. "And we won again today, didn't we?"

Logan looked confused. "What--"

"Yes, you did win, Veronica, but only because you had the hottest cheerleader. Duh."

Lilly cut him off before he could ask about whatever ensured Veronica's victory. Maybe it was a voodoo doll or something. Logan smiled and shook his head. No, that would be much more up Lilly's alley.

"Hey, guys, I've been looking everywhere for you!" Duncan walked over to the group, and Logan didn't miss the special smile he directed towards Veronica.

Some part of him knew that this day -that this moment - would be an important one. Logan was glad he had had the forethought to put his lucky underwear on that morning. It wasn't everyday he met a girl like Veronica.

The rest of the day passed entirely too quickly. Before he even knew it, it was Saturday morning - the day on which his future would most likely hinge--and Logan was faced with a daunting challenge.

Lately, it had all been black. Black like his life. Black like his future. Black like his chances with Veronica.

He stood in front of the dresser drawer, bewildered and completely lost in thought. What type of underwear did one wear when their ex-girlfriend-slash-still-current-obsession cleared them of murder once and for all? And would it chafe? Should it breathe?

Logan inwardly cursed himself for not having been in this situation before - he needed a precedent, damnit. After realizing what he had just wished on himself, he rolled his eyes, took a deep breath, and reached in the drawer blindly.

Looking at his fated-choice, he quirked a smile. Maybe, just maybe...things would go his way after all.

The group of four had headed back to the Kane estate after Veronica and Duncan's games. The girls bowed their heads together and giggled as they made plans for their sleepover. Logan and Duncan, ever the mature twelve year old men, simply discussed which video games they were going to kick the other's ass in first.

Veronica and Lilly immediately took off for Lilly's room. "Bye Donut. Logan," Lilly shouted as she ran through the front door. Veronica waited a moment more, then waved shyly at the two boys. "Have fun," she said, before she went to join her best friend.

Logan and Duncan both pretended to be indifferent to the blonde girl that had just left the room.

"Playstation?" Duncan motioned towards his room.

"Yeah, man. Let's go."

"It shouldn't take too long," Duncan said, putting his controller down and moving towards the door of his bedroom. "My parents are making me call my grandma to thank her for the sweater vest she sent me. Fifteen minutes, tops."

"Yeah, yeah." Logan waved him off, his eyes never leaving the television screen. "Fine."

Duncan narrowed his eyes at his friend before he left the room. "No cheating, Logan. You have to keep it paused until I come back."

"I will, okay?" Logan put his controller down with a flourish. "Just go and tell your grandma how thankful you are that you get to go to school dressed like Mr. Rogers."

"Actually, Mr. Rogers wears cardigans and not sw--"

"Duncan, man. Go!"

Duncan left, and in his haste, failed to completely close the door. Logan took no notice of this, however. He began the process of undressing, so he'd be in his pajamas by the time Duncan came back, but the siren call of the Playstation lured him away. Not even bothering to dress, Logan jumped on top of Duncan's bed and resumed his game excitedly, trying to pad his score before his friend returned.

He was so absorbed in his game, in fact, that he didn't hear the knock, or see how the door fell open under the visitor's hand.

Turning towards the noise, Logan saw Veronica, who immediately turned a bright shade of red.

"Oh, my God. I'm--I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I was just looking for Duncan. Lilly and I--we were--she dared me to come here, and I...I didn't mean--the door was open...I knocked..." Veronica babbled helplessly and quickly averted her gaze to the floor. "I'm leaving now."

Logan Echolls stood there, in all of his almost-naked glory. He had only met her five hours earlier, and now she had seen more of him than any other girl had, ever. And that counted times he went swimming.

His eyes were wide with shock as he scrambled to cover himself. He was still standing on top of Duncan's bed, Playstation controller in hand, and Veronica Mars had seen him in nothing but his boxer shorts. Not just any boxers, but ones with little red rocketships flying around all over them.

The sound of the door slamming snapped him out of his reverie, and Logan could hear Veronica's footsteps pounding down the hall. He quickly pulled his pajamas on before Duncan returned. After all, he had already given one person a show today, and that was still one person too many. Of course, given the look on Veronica's face...

Shit. He had probably traumatized the poor girl. Logan didn't know her very well, but from what he did know, she was pretty much the polar opposite of Lilly...which meant he probably had to do some damage control.

And, to top it all off, he had forgotten to pause his game. Duncan would probably never shut up about his high score now.

Logan was trying to determine exactly what to say when he knocked on Lilly's door. He could hear giggling, followed by Lilly's ever-appropriate commentary, deliberately pitched loud enough for his benefit.

"Veronica! Is that Duncan, coming to have his way with you? What did you say to him? I might have severely underestimated your boy skills." She laughed. "Come in," she called out loudly. "Veronica was just saying how..." Lilly's eyes narrowed when he stepped inside. "You're not Dullnut."

Logan rolled his eyes. "Very perceptive, Lilly. I need to talk to Veronica for a minute, if you don't mind."

This got Lilly's attention. Looking back and forth between the two, willing herself to be able to determine the reason that Logan was showing more interest in Veronica, who he had just met, than he ever had in her, Lilly had to admit she was intrigued..

"Fine, whatever," she responded. "I'll go and like...make popcorn or something. Play nice, kids." She made especially sure to sashay out of the room, hoping that her little pink nightgown was doing something for Logan.

"Logan?" Veronica asked, nervously twining her hands together. "You're not going to--please, don't tell Lilly." Her eyes grew big. "Or Duncan. It really was an accident. And--I didn't see anything, and..." she babbled helplessly, worry creasing her brow.

"Veronica, relax," Logan told her as he perched on the bed next to her. "I didn't come in here because I'm mad or anything."

Her sigh of relief was palpable. "Then why are you here?"

He smiled what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "I just wanted to make sure...uh...that things aren't going to be weird or anything. Because Duncan's my best friend, and I'll be over here a lot, and since we're going to be in the same class--"

"How did--"

"Duncan told me," Logan answered quickly. "Anyway, I'm...sorry, I guess." The words seemed strange coming from his mouth. Logan Echolls, after all, never apologized for anything.

"You're sorry that I was totally rude and walked in you while you were...umm...undressed?" Veronica lowered her eyes. "You didn't do anything wrong. But, I'm sorry, too, and I don't want things to be weird either." She looked up at Logan imploringly. "We're okay?"

His gaze fixed on her, and Logan felt a twinge of some sort run through him.

"Yeah, Veronica," he whispered quietly. "We're okay."

Before either of them knew what was happening, Logan's lips had closed in on Veronica's. For someone who was as young as he was, Logan liked to think he knew an awful lot more about kissing than any sixth grader should. His parents were in movies, after all, and he studied these things. The moment lasted for an eternity, the two falling deeper and deeper into the kiss. Logan gently wrapped his arm around Veronica's back, causing her to snap out of her reverie.

"Logan," she breathed out, pulling back with a gasp. "We can't do this! Why are we doing this?" She blinked up at him from beneath her lashes, worry etched on her face, and Logan thought it was the sexiest thing he had ever seen in his entire life.

"Veronica, it's okay." He ran a soothing hand down her arm. "It was--I mean, didn't you want to...?"

She found herself nodding her head in affirmation before she quickly shook out of it. "No! I mean, we can't." In what Logan assumed to be a nervous habit, Veronica began to fiddle with something in the pocket of her pajama shorts. Her attention was focused everywhere but him.

"Is it because of Duncan?" The name tasted bitter on his tongue.

"No, it's..." Veronica sighed and looked up at him. "It's because of Lilly. She told me she has a crush on you, and I can't--she's my best friend. I just met you this morning. I can't do this to her."

Logan nodded slowly and stood up. "And it doesn't matter that she barely gives me the time of day. Or constantly reminds me of how I'm one entire year younger than she is." He swallowed thickly. "Lilly's lucky to have a friend like you."

Veronica smiled sadly, not quite grasping what she was giving up. Clutching something unseen tightly in her hand, she spoke. "Good night, Logan. I'll see you in school on Monday." She slipped out into the hallway before he could extend her the same courtesy.

Later, Lilly once confided in Logan that "Veronica's never lied to me. Ever. How many people in the world can you say that about? She's totally the most loyal person ever."

While Veronica had obviously omitted telling Lilly about their kiss, he was a staunch maintainer that glossing over the truth didn't count as lying. At least he figured that's what Veronica kept telling herself.

It was only a year later, when they were playing Spin the Bottle at Lilly's birthday party, that the real deception came. Casey's spin landed on Veronica, and Lilly had crowed on and on about how Veronica Mars was finally getting her first kiss.

Veronica smiled nervously at Casey and nodded at Lilly's words.

Logan knew the truth, though. He never told Lilly that he'd been there first.

After Veronica fled the room, Logan could hear the distant sounds of her joining Lilly in the kitchen. Still a bit shell-shocked, he stumbled into the hallway

He mentally summarized his day.

Met amazing girl. Check.

Been mortified in front of said amazing girl. Check.

Kissed said amazing girl. Check.

He smiled to himself. He had known from the moment he dressed himself in the morning it was going to be a good day. The rocketship underwear was his luckiest of pairs - the pinnacle of everything a good pair of underwear espoused. A comfortable band, a kickass pattern, and a tendency to make things go his way.

This day had been no different. Logan mentally chalked up another one for his red rocketship underpants.

"Are they all planted?" Veronica looked to Weevil, visibly relieved when he nodded in the affirmative. "Good. This earpiece here will transmit everything to Logan and I, and the bugs will record it. Whatever confessions you get, we can just burn onto a CD, and boom! Instant incrimination."

"But what if something goes wrong? I mean, if they catch on..." He trailed of. It wasn't like Logan Echolls would ever let anyone see he might be concerned for Weevil

"That would be bad," Weevil finished. "So I'll just be very, very careful."

"If something does happen," Veronica added. "We've got your back." She looked over to Logan. "Well, I've got your back, and Logan--"

"Does too." He gave a quick shake of his head towards Weevil. "Thanks, man. For doing this."

The amount of male posturing going on was so great that Weevil didn't even have to respond. Veronica rolled her eyes.

"It looks like we're ready, boys. Logan and I will be right in the back in the supply closet, listening, Weevil. If things get ugly, we will..."

"They won't," Logan said quickly, placing a comforting hand on Veronica's arm. "You've covered everything too well for there to be a mistake. Let's do this."

Veronica frowned for a moment and began quickly rifling through her bag, obviously searching for something.

"Did you lose one of the earpieces?" All of a sudden, Logan was at her back, and Veronica straightened up immediately and pulled the zipper closed.

"No," she replied defensively. "Just checking on something. Are we ready to go?"

Logan and Weevil nodded, and all three of them took their places.

Lilly's dead, Logan. Lilly's dead. Lilly's dead. Dead.

The words kept pounding through his brain. Logan rushed into his room and slammed the door before collapsing helplessly on his bed. Had it really only been a few hours since he had seen her at the car wash, so happy and full of life that he knew she had moved past him? That their two years together had come to an end?

And now she was gone.

Life was a bitch, they always said. So was Lilly. Scenario after scenario ran through Logan's head, of what might have happened to the first woman he ever dared to love.

Stomach clenching, he sat up. Something had felt off to him all day, even before he had seen Lilly or heard anything about her death.

He frowned as something poked him uncomfortably in the lower back. In that moment, while reaching down to adjust the tag, Logan knew.

He knew why Lilly died. And why he wasn't there to save her. And why it was all his fault.

He had been in such a rush to leave Mexico that he hadn't even repacked his bag - he had just thrown on whatever clothing was flung around the hotel room in his haste. He realized that he was wearing one of Beaver's shirts, and...a pair of Dick's boxers. Black ones.

As a rule, Logan never went with black unless it was a serious occasion. Very few things in his life warranted the ominousness of black underwear. And now...he had inadvertently jinxed Lilly.

Choking back a sob, Logan ransacked his drawers, pulling out whatever black he could find. His mother assumed the bonfire in the backyard was some strange ritualistic part of his way of mourning. His father had been uncharacteristically silent throughout the whole Lilly ordeal, a fact that would have made Logan curious had he not been so broken.

Logan bit back his tears as he splashed lighter fluid over the assembled pile of undergarments. He watched the flames devour the pile of clothing and felt his heart drop. It wouldn't bring Lilly back - nothing ever would - but at least he could prevent something like this from happening in the future.

Logan Echolls had had more than his fill of tragedy, thank you very much.

Veronica's attention was once again focused on exploring the contents of her messenger bag. As Logan watched her intently, his mouth quirked into a smile.

"You have anything to eat in there, or are you just looking for a stick of gum and a piece of dryer lint so you can build some sort of transporter device that'll beam us up...and out here, Scotty?"

"It's nothing," she replied, almost too-quickly, as she set the bag on the ground behind her. "I was just checking for my phone." She stood back up, and the awkwardness of their situation became even more apparent.

He gave her a strange look, but let it go. If something was wrong, and she wanted him to know...

Well, she wouldn't want him to know. It wasn't worth his asking just to start another fight.

"Right. So," Logan breathed, his face about six inches away from hers. "The supply closet was the best you could do? While it's nice to know the fine folks at the River Stix prefer Scott to Charmin, this is doing nothing for my health."

Veronica shot him a glare. "I'm sorry, what was that? 'Thank you, Veronica, for helping me with my case, even though I've been an obnoxious jackass?' 'Thank you, Veronica, for giving up your Saturday night to listen to me complain?' I'm not doing this for my benefit, Logan. It'll all be over in a little while, and you won't have to lower yourself to spend any more time with me."

She turned away from him, her agitation melting into something...different. Something more promising.

"Veronica?" Logan placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her so they were facing each other once again. "I'm not complaining."

Logan still vividly remembered the day Veronica Mars started fighting back.

It had begun just like any average day at Neptune High after the death of Lilly Kane. He and his posse of 09er companions would wait for her in the parking lot. Every day it was a new technique - a tormentor had to be creative, after all - and every day, one very vulnerable Veronica would run into the school, bathroom-bound as tears flowed freely down her cheeks. That day had been different, though. He knew something was off the second he saw her. Gone was the long flowing hair and the wardrobe straight out of Seventeen magazine. This Veronica had short choppy hair and combat boots.

Still, it hadn't seemed like anything to write home about. She took a small object from her glove compartment and deftly flipped it into her open messenger bag. That, of course, lead to a comment about her being pretty adept at turning tricks. When Logan asked Veronica why she hadn't been at her street corner the previous night, and Dick followed up by throwing a few crumpled one dollars bills in her direction, he had assumed that, once again, victory was his.

He definitely hadn't been expecting Veronica to clap a hand over her mouth in mock-surprise and tell him that even though she had been too busy to make it, Rocco had told her how good his time with Logan was. "Wow, Logan," she had replied. "I always knew you were a man of many talents. As a matter of fact, Rocco couldn't keep his mouth shut about your skills." She quirked an eyebrow up at Dick. "I take it you're the reason he got so good, then?"

Dick had merely sputtered at her. Logan, also in shock, could do nothing more than watch as she shot them a jaunty salute and left the lot.

The game had changed. Passive Veronica, as he would soon learn, had morphed into a creature worthy of his hate. She gave it just as well as he did. His anger finally had a match. Their fights became foreplay to Logan--the seductive tease that he needed to get him through each day.

The color red symbolized rage. It stood for passion. Logan thought it was fitting that his underwear matched the occasion so well. He would never tell anyone, but he always got a secret thrill on days he lashed out at Veronica when he had the red ones on. It just felt right.

From that day on, he made a conscious effort to start wearing more red underwear.

"What're you--" Veronica looked up into his eyes, confusion evident on her face. "What happened to me being the heartless bitch that ripped your heart out and then danced on the pieces?"

Logan shrugged. "I guess I realized that - deep down - she still cares. And...so do I."

"I never said that."

"You didn't have to." The enclosed space was quickly becoming stifling, but Logan could only focus on the rising heat emanating from the two of them.

"Logan, this won't--"

"Veronica? For once? Just shut up."

It wasn't supposed to happen this way.

"I can't fucking believe this. She's cheating. She has to be cheating." Logan looked around the table at the solemn faces of his friends. "Is anyone gonna back me up here?"

Duncan shrugged. Weevil smirked. Connor looked pretty.

Veronica claimed another pot.

Logan threw down his cards in disgust. "I have a proposition for you, Veronica. Not your usual kind, of course, but it might strike your fancy."

She quirked an eyebrow at him but said nothing, making an exaggerated show of stacking the massive pile of red and yellow poker chips that rested in front of her.

"One more hand. Winner walks away with the whole pot."

"I don't think so, Logan," Veronica said as she continued to gather up her winnings.

"Why the hell not?"

"Ha." She laughed bitterly. "Because, Logan, how do I know that you're not going to rig this in your favor? I'll cash out now, while I'm still ahead." Duncan silently exchanged her chips for bills, and Veronica began to gather her things.

Logan chuckled softly to himself. "Veronica..."

"Is this the part where you start telling me I'm chicken, and I'm supposed to give in to salvage my reputation? Because last I heard, there wasn't much of anything to salvage." She stood up and headed towards the door, but Logan intercepted her before she could leave.

"What if I could guarantee that it was a fair hand? That there's no way I could cheat?"

She snorted. "Fine, I'll bite. How do you propose to do that?"

"Weevil deals."

Two sets of surprised eyes swiveled towards Logan. Veronica looked at Weevil, who merely shrugged at her, and then back at Logan.

"Let's get going. If you want to make a cameo at your mother's party, I'd better make this fast."

"Oh, really?" Logan grinned as Veronica warmed up to his idea. "I don't know, Mars, I think luck might be on my side tonight."

He shifted in his chair as Weevil dealt, a cunning glint in his eye.

"On Comet, on Cupid, on Donner and Blitzen," he muttered under his breath, praying that his reindeer boxes wouldn't fail him.

"What?" Veronica asked, confused until Logan leaned over the table, which caused his shirt to ride up a little. He very deliberately reached for a glass near Veronica, affording her and the rest of the room a glance at his legendary reindeer boxer shorts.

"Oh, for God's sake, Logan. What are you, twelve?" She rolled her eyes. "I know it's hard for you, but make sure you behave tonight." She leaned towards him conspiratorially. "The elves see everything, you know."

Once the cards were dealt, Veronica bent over slightly. Logan eyed her warily. "I thought the deal was no tricks. That's rendered null and void if you start pulling cards out of your bag."

She sighed and made a big show of scratching her ankle. "Am I allowed to have an itch?"

Logan waved her off. For a second, out of the corner of his eye, it looked like Veronica had taken something out of her sock. It was too small to be a card, he mused.

"What's in your hand?"

"What?" Veronica looked taken aback. "My cards, dumbass, being as how we're playing a card game and all."

"Let me see."

Veronica sighed, and Logan could have sworn she slipped something in her front pocket, but her hands moved too fast. While he tried to determine what could be tiny enough to slide into her pocket undetected, she just glared at him.

"There's nothing there, Logan. Trust me, I don't need any help to kick your ass."

It turned out she was right. Logan couldn't help but wonder if he should have pushed the issue of the mystery item further. Clearly, it had done something for her luck.

Six minutes later, when Veronica claimed the pot, he concluded that reindeer boxers, while seasonally appropriate and festive, did nothing for him. Or his bank account, for that matter.

His lips descended on hers, and both gasped sharply at the contact. It had been far too long for both of them, and all the turbulent emotions from the past few months - the desperation, the longing, the loneliness, the love - came pouring out. Logan's hand reached out to twine in her hair, and Veronica pressed her body into his. She pulled back with a laugh.

"I'll bet this closet doesn't seem so small now..."

"You're telling me." Logan backed her into a corner, planting sweet kisses along her collarbone. "What're you still doing so far away?"

A loud burst of feedback sounded through the earpieces they were wearing, and Logan and Veronica recoiled in pain.

"Maybe we should put this on hold..." Veronica began inching out from underneath him, the reminder of their mission enough to snap her out of her trance.

"Veronica? I thought--"

"You didn't let me finish. As usual," she stated, rolling her eyes. "We should put this on hold for the moment. Until we know Weevil's out of harm's way, and our future interactions aren't going to be limited to conjugal visits. Unless the idea of trying to get some loving in a four-by-four cell while your new friend watches appeals to you, of course."

Logan closed his eyes as if deep in thought for a moment, then opened them with a smile. "That agreement is acceptable. I'm pretty sure Bubba's going to be disappointed, though. "

"Okay, then." Veronica nodded. "Now let's hope this doesn't take much longer. I suddenly seem to have plans for tonight."

She shifted herself against the wall, her foot inadvertently connecting with her bag.

"Damn it," she muttered, bending down to pick it up. Logan had the same idea, though, and as they both bent down in an attempt to gather up the scattered contents, Veronica's mouth collided with the back of his head. She was treated to the delicious taste of his gel-slicked hair, and grimaced as she fervently tried to spit out the noxious flavor.

Logan met her glare and shrugged, the very picture of innocence. "It's the price you pay for having a partner-in-crime who's so fucking pretty. Get used to it."

She laughed and began collecting her belongings. "You wouldn't look so pretty if it were all shaved off. And knowing my penchant for MacGyverisms, you'd be surprised with what I can do with a paper clip and a ball-point pen."

He gasped in mock-horror. "Veronica Mars, I do believe you are evil."

"And don't you forget it."

Logan shook his head as he handed her a notebook. He reached for her hairbrush when something small and pink caught his eye. A vibrating noise reverberated in the small closet, and his jaw dropped.

"Veronica...What the hell is this?

On the day Veronica discovered the truth about his father, Logan hadn't done his laundry for a while. The only clean pair of underwear he could find was black. It had been hiding in the back of the drawer, an obvious holdover from the day of Lilly's death that was trying to avoid the same fate the rest had suffered.

His father slept with and murdered Lilly, tried to kill Veronica and Keith, the PCHers thrashed him on the bridge, and he was accused of murdering Felix. Then there was the whole part where he got arrested...

Just what he should have expected from a pair of black underwear. He'd have been better off not wearing any at all.

"Put it down, Logan!" Her eyes widened in an almost comical mixture of fear and embarrassment, and Logan couldn't help but laugh.

"Well, well, well. Veronica Mars, badass extraordinaire. I've got to say, I wasn't expecting this."

"I mean it, Logan. Give it back."

The buzzing noise seemed to grow more insistent, and Veronica's face flushed further.

"Seriously, Veronica. I know this is where I'm supposed to tell you I realize that girls have needs, and that this is totally healthy and acceptable behavior, but...You?"

"It's not what it looks like!"

He waved the plastic item in front of her face. "What is it supposed to look like, then?"

The buzzing reached a fevered pitch, and Veronica reached to the floor to silence her vibrating cell phone. Task accomplished, she whisked the item in question out of Logan's hand and shoved it into the front pocket of her jeans.

Veronica fiddled with her earpiece and let out a deep breath. "So, I wonder when Weevil's going to get his confession. Could be any moment now..."

"Veronica! What the hell?"

"What, Logan?" She sighed. "What do you want me to say?"

"Well, for starters, I'd like to know why you're carrying a Polly Pocket toy around in your bag and treating it like it's the fucking Holy Grail."

She bit her lip. "Shut up, Logan. I needed it for a case."

He snorted. "Right. What, 'the case of the girl who loves her Polly Pocket'? You can do better than that, Veronica."

"One more word out of you, and you're going home alone tonight."

Logan quirked an eyebrow, but said nothing. Veronica smiled sweetly.

He waited a moment before taking her hand in his and gently massaging it. "Well," he asked huskily, "can I at least take Polly home with me?"

Veronica blinked.

Logan continued to bait her. "Why, Veronica! Is that a Polly Pocket in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?"

"You're such an ass, Logan."

His smile faltered. "Come on, Veronica. Can't you take a joke?"

She scowled.

"I really don't get to hear why you're getting so overprotective about a fad that died in the 80's?"

Veronica's mouth gaped open. "Fad? FAD? Disco was a fad. Troll dolls were a fad. Atkins? A fad. Polly Pocket is the real deal."

He leveled a stare at her before a sympathetic look broke over his face.

"Look, I'm sorry. If you don't want to talk about it, fine."

She nodded. "Fine."

A few slow seconds passed before their eyes eventually met again.

"My mom," Veronica began softly. "My mom gave it to me. Do you remember when Lilly explained to you about the day Madison told the whole school that I was related to Munchkins? And that's why I was so short?"

"Is that when she stood up on the cafeteria table?"

"Yeah. And everyone laughed and laughed..."

"I didn't laugh."

Veronica smiled at the memory. "No, because I didn't even know you yet. But after Lilly told you that story, you punched Dick the next week when he called me an Oompa Loompa." She looked at Logan gratefully. "Anyway, when I got home that night, after Madison, I was devastated. Mom had already found out somehow - Lilly or Duncan or someone must have said something. So she gave me the doll, and I laughed, because..." She pulled the toy out of her pocket. "Polly's so tiny."

"You know, I have always had a weakness for tiny blonde girls who'll fit into my pocket." Logan laid a kiss on the top or her head. "And Polly's also smart and sexy and wonderful," he breathed, taking Veronica into his arms. "Not unlike someone else I know." She leaned into the embrace and rested her head in the crook of his shoulder.

"Yeah. That's about the gist of what Mom said, too, minus the part about being sexy. The moral of the story was that just because she's tiny, doesn't mean she can't do great things. Like me, I guess." Veronica sniffed. "Then again, looking at how my mother finished her chapter in my life, I don't know that I should be following her advice."

"Veronica," Logan started, warningly.

"I know, I know. But ever since, I've kind of used it as a good luck charm. Good things happen when I have her around, you know? Except lately..."

"Lately..." Logan prodded.

"I think she's broken," Veronica admitted softly. "I haven't had so much in the way of luck."

Logan shifted uncomfortably. The topic of broken good luck charms was a little too near and dear to his heart, and he wasn't sure he was ready to share yet.

Logan swallowed heavily as Keith Mars "escorted" him off the premises. What had started off as a romantic evening with dinner for two hadn't exactly ended the way he had planned.

Veronica had broken up with him, and Logan was devastated. He couldn't see straight, he couldn't breathe. His brain couldn't process even the most simple of commands. He drove around Neptune for hours, just thinking of her, and plotting thirty different ways to win her back. As he dismissed idea after idea, he couldn't shake the unnerving feeling that maybe he really was alone in the world. Like he had told Veronica, she was the only person he still cared about. Without her, his life was empty, and he was just Logan Echolls, son of the murdering girlfriend fucker Aaron Echolls and a mother who preferred bungee jumping without the safety cord.

Still, though, Logan didn't despair. Veronica was angry - he could understand that. She'd come around, though. She had to. Not even she could deny how right the two of them felt together.

It wasn't until he got home early the next morning and changed into his pajamas that he knew things were more serious than he initially thought. Something had shifted in the universe, and Logan felt a deep sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Veronica had broken up with him. His world had been shattered. He had no one to turn to and nowhere to go.

His last glimmering ray of hope faded.

He had been wearing his lucky rocketship underwear.

Calvin had been right. Some days, they just didn't help at all.

From that day on, something changed..

He only wore black underwear.

Veronica laughed, and a single tear escaped her eye. "I had her with me that night. The night we--the night I--broke up with you. After that happened, I threw her behind my dresser for a week."

"I thought--Veronica, you broke up with me. It's not bad luck unless you're the dumpee. Me, if memory serves me correctly."

"I know!" She shouted, obviously agitated. "I know I dumped you, Logan, but that's not what I meant to do. I was scared that you were going to get seriously hurt, and you were just being such a jerk about the whole thing, and..." She shook her head. "Luck is just not in my cards."

Logan bent his head down so they were looking directly at each other, their foreheads pressing together gently.

"Maybe we can change that."

Their mouths met in a crushing kiss. Logan's hands canvassed the length of Veronica's back, and she groaned into his mouth. As the kiss grew more heated, Logan's hips began to move against her. She felt his hardness through the denim of his jeans, and looked up at him with a glazed expression on her face.

When he returned her heady glance, something snapped. Frantically, they stripped their clothes off as best they could given the small space. Logan's losing struggle with his boxers was interrupted by a peal of laughter.

"You're not supposed to laugh until after I have them off to crush my ego, Veronica," he said, shooting her a puzzled look as he hopped around on one leg.

"Logan," Veronica gasped out, "your underwear."

He frowned as he finally extracted himself from his clothing. His voice grew lower and more dangerous. "What about my underwear?"

"It's..." Veronica crinkled her nose in confusion. "It's the same. Remember when..." Despite the fact that both of them were standing naked in a supply closet, Veronica managed to blush and cast her eyes downward. "The day we met. When I...walked in on you? You were wearing rocketship underwear. But that's impossible."

Logan chuckled. "You remember that? I thought you said you didn't see anything?"

She shot him a coy smile. " I lied." She raised an eyebrow. "How is it possible that those things still fit?" Taking in his body, she whistled. "If I had known twelve-year old Logan really was the full package..." Her voice softened as the memories of that night came rushing back, "maybe things would have worked out differently."

He snorted. "Right, Veronica, because you knowing I had a big dick would have changed things. Not then. We're..." He trailed off. "We're different now. We didn't work then. Now, though? I think we're a match."

"That still doesn't explain why you're wearing rocketship underwear, Logan."

"Veronica, please," Logan laughed bitterly. "When you're the son a movie star and have cash to burn, you can get anything tailor-made. Even underwear with space crafts on it. I have a standing order with the business, just in case."

She shook her head in disbelief. "So, what? You stockpile adult-sized underoos? That's...weird, Logan."

"Right, but Polly Pocket makes you the poster child for normal? And, please, Veronica. I can only have one pair at a time. Lucky underwear isn't lucky unless it's unique."

"That's your lucky underwear?"

Logan twirled the garment in question around on his fingers and smiled. "Yep. Ever since I was little, red rocketship days were always the best. I've learned how to use them sparingly over the years. Although, I don't know if you've noticed or anything, but I've had some luck problems of my own."

Veronica's forehead wrinkled in thought. "Wait, Logan. Do you realize what this means?"

"We're going to get back to the sex now that we're standing around naked in a storage closet?"

"No!" Veronica looked annoyed. "That the day we met, you were wearing lucky underwear."

"Yeah..."

"When I walked in on you," Veronica bit her lip. "I had something in my pocket."

Logan blinked. "Wait...that's what you were fiddling with after we kissed? Your good luck charm?"

Veronica nodded.

"So you're telling me that on the day we met, both of our respective lucky items were present. And now, on the very day that things are finally...better...between us, we both have those same tokens present?"

"It's weird."

"Weird?" Logan questioned. Realization broke over his face. "No. It's karma, Veronica. That day, that kiss...I felt something. I know you must've, too. Maybe Polly and the rocketships had this in mind all along." He sighed in amazement. "Wow, they're good."

"So, what? Your underwear and my doll are kindred spirits? They should team up and fight crime together with matching spandex and capes? Is that what you're saying?"

Logan drew Veronica close, and they both suppressed the shudders they felt when bare skin met bare skin. "That's exactly what I'm saying, Carrots."

"Careful, Logan." Veronica rolled her eyes. "If you keep making classical literature references, I might break a slate over your head."

"Mmmm," Logan mumbled into her hair. "Actually, for us, I think that'd be an improvement."

"Actually, for us, I think you'd be right." Veronica nuzzled his neck and wrapped her arms around him. Logan drew away from her with a start, causing confusion to wash over Veronica's face.

"What's wrong?"

"Here, give me that." He reached over and plucked her Polly Pocket from her hand. "It's only fitting that our patrons get to hang around for the grand finale." He set the underwear on a shelf, and moved to put the toy on top of it.

"Logan," Veronica protested. "You are not putting Polly Pocket on top of your underwear!"

"It's poetic, Veronica. Our two good luck charms, fighting the good fight. Both there, meeting for a brief moment on that fateful day we met...then lashing out against us when we were both too wrapped up in other things to make our relationship work. Now they've bonded together to give us another chance. They belong together." He tilted his head and smiled at her. "Like us."

"While that was a very moving speech, I still insist on Polly's remaining in rocketship-neutral territory. Having her sit on your underwear...that's not even sanitary, Logan!"

He ran his tongue over his lips obscenely. "Not much more unsanitary than you having the thing in the underwear inside your--"

"So that's the legendary Logan Echolls pillow talk that I've heard so much about. Funny, I though it'd be more romantic and less disturbing," Veronica commented dryly.

He grinned placed the doll next to his discarded underwear. "Happy now?"

"Yes."

Logan kissed Veronica on the tip of her nose and moved his hands down to cup her breasts.

"Happier now?"

"Absolutely. Keep going, and I think you'll even make me happiest."

Logan chuckled and gently laid her down on the makeshift bed their clothing provided. He took another minute to study the picture before him, and Veronica wriggled impatiently underneath him.

"What now?" Desperation crept into her voice.

"Oh, nothing. It's just...," Logan mused, looking at the two items. "Look! Polly Pocket is exactly the right size to ride in one of the little rocketships. If they were real, and not on my underw--FUCK," Logan cried out as Veronica's hand closed around his dick.

"I'm down here." Veronica slowly ran her hand up and down the shaft, and Logan snarled and tackled her. "Mmm, that's more like it!"

Her hand kept caressing his heated flesh, and while one of his focused on teasing her nipples to attention, the other hand moved down her body to reciprocate the favor. Veronica cried out in ecstasy as his fingers penetrated her, and the two (rather awkwardly) continued ministering to each other.

"Now, Logan."

"God, Veronica..." His eyes closed as he felt the slow build of an orgasm heat his body.

"I need you now!" She released her grip on his cock and gently guided him inside of her. He entered her slowly, releasing a strained gasp as her body expanded to accommodate him.

"Logan," she choked out. "Fuck..."

He set a steady rhythm, plunging in and out of Veronica's pliant body with an increasing ferocity. Logan began chanting her name as a mantra, while the only vocalization Veronica was capable of were a few well placed shouts of harder and fuck yes.

"This is how it's supposed to be," Logan whispered lovingly into her ear, before the two of them sank into bliss. "How did we almost screw this up?"

She melted into his embrace, and the two of them gazed adoringly at each other as they came down from their high.

An insistent pounding on the closet door a few minutes later shook them out of their post-coital bliss.

"V? Logan?"

"Don't come in!" Both of them shouted in unison. "Something...uh...fell in front of the door," Logan continued lamely. "We have to...move it. Just give us a minute."

"Did you get everything you needed?" Weevil sounded more amused than anything else. Logan shot a quick look over to Veronica as they tried to gather up their clothing. Weevil couldn't possibly know...could he?

Veronica's eyes widened as Weevil's words registered.

"What?" She managed to reply.

"On the recorder. Did it go through?" Now he was all-out laughing. But this wasn't funny...unless...

"Oh. Right." Veronica quickly checked her equipment. Breathing a sigh of relief, she called out in affirmation. "It's all here, Weevil."

"Good. We should have enough to put those bastards away for a long time. It took a little longer than I would have liked, but even when you're Irish, there are limits to how much booze you can knock back in an hour. You know what they say about loose lips..."

"What?" Veronica squeaked out, all the while attempting to fasten her bra.

They heard Weevil laugh. "I'll be at the car. If you two aren't out of here in five minutes, though, I'm coming back in for you." His footsteps faded from their earshot, and then reappeared.

"And, guys? Next time? Make sure you're not next to an air vent. That's not something I need to hear ever again."

Veronica lowered her head into her hands, mortified. Logan laughed, but cut it short as soon as he saw her withering glare.

Logan placed a gentle kiss on her forehead in an attempt to diffuse the situation. "Ready to get out of here before Weevil comes back to check on us? Hearing is one thing, but I'd rather leave something to his imagination."

Veronica smiled and nodded. "I'm sure he's just been dying to see what you've been hiding beneath those rocketship boxers."

He chuckled and tightened his hold on her waist. All seemed right in his world again. Or, as right as it could ever get for someone named Logan Echolls.

Veronica loved him, and he loved her. They were done hiding behind internal barriers and ready to face what, deep down, they had each felt for each other for a long, long, time. It appeared they would finally get their second chance. This time, Logan was determined they would last. As they collected their clothes and slipped out of the closet before Liam Fitzpatrick or his crew happened upon them, it finally hit him. He had his innocence in Felix's case. He had his reconciliation with Veronica. Hell, he even had Weevil watching his back.

Or, maybe more than his back. But that was something to worry about another day. Tonight, there were much bigger issues at stake.

In the end, Logan knew that he had something so much greater than just Veronica, or just his future without a top bunk in the state penitentiary. One thing to thank profusely. One item that was solely responsible for the rapid improvement of his life.

His lucky red rocketship underwear was back. As Veronica climbed into the car beside him and flashed him a dazzling smile, Logan knew that he couldn't have asked for a greater gift.