Confusion

☼☼☼

Veronica stretched and slid her hand over to the other side of the bed, reaching for Duncan. But all she felt was an empty bed. Her eyes opened when the side of her bed sunk down as someone sat down and a hand caressed her face.

"Hey, it's okay… just go back to bed… I have to go to the library for a bit." He kissed her and stood up.

She grabbed his hand. "Don't go… staaay with me…"

He leaned back down and kissed her again. "I have to. I need to go do some work but I'll be back in a couple hours."

"A couple of hours…" she mock whined.

"Just go back to bed and I'll be back before you know it." He kissed her on the forehead.

"Okay, hurry back…"

He grinned at her and then he was gone.

She fell back into a light sleep.

☼☼☼

The door opened and she felt the side of her bed sink again. His hand caressed the side of her face and she leaned into it, her eyes fluttering open. "Dun- oh my god." She clutched the sheet to her chest and scrambled back from Logan's hand.

"What, no witty remark?" he quipped.

She just stared at him, clutching the sheet tighter to her chest, glad that she'd put on underwear before falling asleep the night before. Nevertheless, the way Logan was staring at her, she felt naked, like he could look right through it to see her every curve. She swallowed hard and kept his gaze boldly.

"What? Can't find any girls that will let you see them half-naked willingly?"

"Don't worry Veronica." He patted her thigh through the sheet. "Your virtue is safe with me… for now…"

"What d'you want Logan?" she snapped, trying to keep herself from flinching.

His face settled into seriousness. "I'm worried about you."

She snorted. "Seriously? You are worried about me? That's news."

Logan flinched. "C'mon Veronica, just listen. Yesterday Kendall was here, with me-" He shrugged unapologetically. "- and she was looking for money. Apparently Big Dick didn't leave her with anything after he bailed for the Caymans. Guess that's what she gets for being a gold digger…" He smiled dreamily. "Aaaanyway, after I threw her out and she moseyed on over to Duncan's room. Spent quite a bit of time there… and the girl doesn't know that many words to hold a conversation that long…" He put one finger to his lips pensively. "And she didn't deny it afterwards…"

"Yeah, well, she wouldn't," she snapped, tears welling in her eyes. There was no reason for her to believe him but at the same time she found it hard not to believe the sincerity in his eyes. "You really think Duncan would do something like that?"

He shrugged, thinking it over. Would he break her heart? Tell her that Duncan used to wake up in the middle of the night, yelling Meg's name? That there were rumours going around that Meg was pregnant? "Maybe you should ask him about it?"

"What, no snippy remarks? No dirty laundry to destroy the relationship between Duncan and I?" She glared at him but couldn't help one tear from sliding down her cheek.

"Oh god. C'mon Ronnie, don't…" he brushed it away with a soft hand. "Please don't cry. I'm sure it's nothing but I just wanted you to know." He cradled the side of her face in one hand. "I don't like to see you hurt…" He leaned in and kissed her.

She struggled at first but allowed him to slide his other hand to the back of her neck to pull her closer.

The door to the hotel room opened.

☼☼☼

Duncan walked into his bedroom to find Veronica on her side, flipping through a magazine. "Forgot my notebook." He scooped it up and leaned down to kiss her on the forehead. "You fall asleep again? You look flushed…"

"I might have…" She smiled up at him, feeling guilty.

"You okay?"

"Sure." She patted him on the arm.

"I'll see you later." He kissed her and walked out with a final wave.

The door slowly slid soundlessly shut as Logan appeared behind it. "So…" He lifted his open hands towards her then clasped them together. The teasing tone was back in his voice. "What shaaaall we do now?"

"Please leave, Logan. Please, just leave…" Tears welled up in her eyes. "Don't you understand…"

He lunged towards the bed but stopped just short of the edge, hands balled into fists. "No, you don't understand! I am in love with you and he just walks back into your life and suddenly you can't deal with me and my stuff… you could always deal with me, Ronnie. That's what I counted on. And then you bail out on me when I needed you!" He towered above her.

She shook, clutching the sheets. She realized that she was scared of him for the first time. "Please Logan…"

He moved forward and kissed her hard, pressing her into the sheets. "God Veronica… you're so… god, you know what you do to me?" he whispered against her lips. "Why won't you just let me in? Duncan won't ever love you like I would. You and I, we're bigger than all this…"

He slid her over and moved onto the bed, curling himself around her until he was just hugging her and she was shaking with unshed tears. "Hey… hey… it's okay… I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"

She sniffed. "What am I going to do?"

He hugged her tighter. "I dunno, Veronica… that's up to you…"

☼☼☼

Long after Logan had left, Veronica stayed in bed, staring at the ceiling. She was so confused. Duncan was so strong, so trusting and so there for her. But he'd been so distant lately.

And then the whole Meg thing…

And then Logan who was strong and dependent, when he felt like it… but, who was also always sleeping with that slut, Kendall…

She shook her head. God, it was so confusing.

But it was Duncan. Duncan. Comfortable. Familiar. Or at least he was until he started getting obsessed with his ex…a little voice snarked in her head.

"Oh, shut up," she replied miserably.

☼☼☼

"Honey, I'm home…" Duncan came striding in and kissed her. "You're still in bed? That's a new one."

She smiled weakly. "Just waiting for you to come home."

"Well, get dressed. I'm taking you out to dinner…" He kissed her again. "I'm going to hop in the shower." He wiggled his eyebrows at her. "Care to join me?"

She shook her head. "I should go home and get something more decent…"

He grinned. "In that case, get a dress."

"A pretty one?" she teased, clasping her hands.

He turned at the door of the bathroom. "Flowers and polka dots."

"Those don't match!" she called after him and slid from the bed to grab her jeans.

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I know everyone says this but c'mon! Please review! Please Please Please!