Author's note: Okay, so this picks up after the series finale (3.20)

LoVe all the way.

Veronica is getting dressed. She wears a red satin dress. She smiles weakly at her reflection.

Veronica is standing before an open closet, holding up a long pink dress.

VERONICA: What?

The camera pans round to show Lilly, sitting on Veronica's bed, as she jumps up to join Veronica at the closet.

LILLY: Why do you insist on suppressing your hotness? The world is ready for you, Veronica Mars. You don't have to blend in.

VERONICA: I'm not trying to blend in.

Lilly rifles through the clothes in the closet and Veronica hangs the pink dress on the closet door.

LILLY: I mean, wha-, none of this reflects your personality at all. I'm-

Lilly pulls out a dress, disgusted.

LILLY: Why, why do you even have this? You are not a yellow cotton dress.

VERONICA[breathlessly What am I?

LILLY: You're like-, you're…

Lilly hangs the yellow dress back up and pulls out a red shirt.

LILLY: You're red satin.

Lilly pushes Veronica to the mirror.

LILLY: You are strapless red satin. Look at this.

Lilly holds the shirt against Veronica as Veronica looks in the mirror.

It doesn't bare her cleavage, and comes down just below her knees. It was perfect.

V.O (Voice over): Its Lily's birthday today, Duncan's daughter Lily.

Before my internship began, and I was alone most of the time, with Piz gone and all, I had a lot of time on my hands. I did some snooping around, had Wallaby pull a couple of strings, and with the help of Leo, managed to get our hands on some evidence against the Manning's.

After showing the kindly sheriff Vinny Van Lowe the video I had made of him singing "We are the champions", in his undie's, drunk, outside our house, he arranged for a social worker to come form D.C to check out the case.

The best decision he's made since he got into office, I mused bitterly with a pang of guilt.

"Honey, are you ready to go?" called my dad.

"Just a moment" I replied.

I took the necklace Lily had given me, but instead of putting it on, I put it into an elegant box.

Nixon puts transfer the gun to his right hand and reaches out to take the necklace. Veronica bats his arm away. Nixon points the gun at her again just as Carter arrives, having seen her refusal. Carter grabs her by the neck and pushes her into the wall. He points his gun at her head.

JIMMY CARTER: What? D'you think we're playing with you?

He moves his hand down to the necklace which he grips and twists. He rips it from her neck. Veronica gives a small cry.

VERONICA: You're gonna regret that.

Carter just stares at her, nodding. He backs away to join Nixon. They both continue to wave around the guns as they move to the door.

JIMMY CARTER: Say good night to the bad guy.

He grabs the cash box and they leave, slamming the door behind them. Veronica, breathing heavily, her hand on her chest where the necklace lay, stares hard after them.

V.O: So, while all is good in Neptune, things are not so great in Mars.

Veronica grabs her purse and heads out with her father.

(They arrive at the new Kane mansion as seen on 3.20)

Cut to the garden, a party is going on.

Duncan comes up with lily holding hand "Veronica! Hey, you look great!" He hugs her. "Nice to see you again Mr. Mars"

Veronica leans down and hugs Lily.

"Hey Lil" she says softly. "Happy birthday!"

She opens the box, and takes out Lily's necklace.

She puts it around Lily's neck. "This was your Aunt Lily's, she gave it to me on my birthday too, I thought you'd like to have it."

She touches the necklace wistfully and Lily grins excitedly and plants a kiss on her cheek.

"Thanks Ver-lonica, it pur-fect!" She says excitedly.

We see Logan smiling at the scene he's just witnessed from afar.

"Do you want to see my presents?" She says delighted. "I've gotten so many!" as she drags Veronica away.

Logan ambles to Duncan.

"Quite the party D.K"

"Ah, its all mum. She's invited all of Neptune, I barely know any of these people." He says.

Cut to the dance floor, Logan and Lily are dancing, Logan's spinning her around as she laughs, her white-blond hair every where.

Veronica looks at Logan as she grabs a drink from the waiter passing by.

LOGAN: As your friend, I was angry at what happened to you. Someone's always supposed to pay, right? Isn't that the rule we live by?

VERONICA: We tried to be friends and it didn't work. [Quavering This is the moment, Logan, right now, where it's just done. You're out of my life forever.

Veronica's eyes glisten as she turns on her heel and walks out of the room. Logan watches her as she turns back and slams closed the double doors of his room.

Why does Logan always make me feel like this?

Why does he make me want to cry, and throw everything around?

She walks to the bar.

She won't cry. She won't. She won't.

Her dad walks over.

"Honey, do you mind getting a ride home, I've asked Duncan, I have to get going, angry, hormonal wife calls, the cheating husband paranoia" he says pecking her on the cheek as he leaves.

"Martini, hard on the rocks." She says to the bar man.

Its night time now, some people are swaying to some slow tunes, while most people eat dinner.

Veronica's drunk by now, her fifth martini, as she starts rambling on about Piz, the barman is wiping a bottle of wine, pretending to be remotely interested.

Logan sits on the seat next to Veronica.

"Of all the gin joints" she says to him, slurring a bit.

He smiles at her.

"Someone has had a little too much to drink."

She swivels her chair, "Wee" she giggles almost falling off, Logan grabs her and he searches her eyes for something, she looks into his, sending chills up his spine.

"Logan," She says playfully nudging him out of his stare, She slips her hands into his, "Dance with me"

GIA: For a friendship to work, you have to be completely honest, which is something I have absolutely no problem with. But you...you run from the truth.

LOGAN: Only when it's chasin' me.

GIA: Do you know what I think?

Logan looks up to the heavens.

GIA: I think you use sarcasm and anger as a way to keep people from getting too close to you.

LOGAN: You know, I do. But it doesn't always work.

Veronica has arrived at the desk with her photo money. She immediately picks up on Logan's hostility and sarcasm to which Gia is blind.

GIA: Tell me what you think about me. Seriously. Be completely honest.

Veronica watches as Logan prepares to let rip. Logan does a hand flourish and takes a deep breath but before he can get a word out, Veronica grabs his arm and his hand.

VERONICA: Dance with me.

Logan lets her pull him off the chair.

LOGAN: Oh.

Gia is disappointed. Logan follows Veronica into the thick of the dancers. Veronica stops and turns to face him.

LOGAN: When I dreamed of this moment, "I've Had the Time of My Life" was always playing. Well, what can you do.

Veronica is not so confident now, looking uncomfortable as he looks down at her. She pulls his hand to her waist, an action that gets his attention, and puts her arms around his neck, looking to want to be anywhere but where she is. They start to dance slowly.

Veronica glances up at him and then quickly away as he looks down at her. Neither are sure where to look but increasing gaze at each other, uncomfortable and yet drawn by the heat between them.

Logan has a faint smile on his face.

They're swaying softly.

"Hey Veronica?"

"Mmm" She mumbles back.

"You know you're completely drunk."

"Mmm, maybe a little tipsy." She slurs, the cutest slur ever, by far.

"Or smashed."

Duncan walks up to them, Lily asleep in his arms.

"Veronica? I won't be able to drop you home."

"Hey Dee Kay" she practically screams hugging him as if she hasn't seen him before. "Logan thinks I'm smashed." She giggles.

I smirk again.

"Logan, do you mind dropping her home, I've got to put Lily to bed. Its been a long day."

I look at Duncan uneasily. "Uh sure" I manage to mumble.

Lily opens her eyes smiling at everyone.

"Daddy" she says softly to Duncan.

"Yeah honey?" he replies gently.

"I've had the time of my life." She whispers loud enough for Veronica and me to hear.

I grin at the irony.

"So I'll catch you later?" Duncan says.

"Tatah dahling" Veronica says, faking a British accent.

I smirk.

Veronica turns to me, "Shall we head out?" she asks continuing her accent.

"Your accent is terrible" I drawl.

"Oh but you love me so" She says perkily kissing me on the cheek lightly, as my heart does a flip. Not an ordinary flip, more like a back flip, followed by a couple of cartwheels.

I open the door for her, and she slips in, not exactly gracefully.

I get into the range rover (Thanks IluvVM as Veronica struggles to put on her seatbelt.

I help her with it, and brush her arm, which send chills up my spine.

He can't quite believe it, I've touched her a million times, he thinks to himself.

Must be something in the air.

I'm driving, Veronica is oddly silent, I'm doing my best to concentrate on the road, but I still can't get my mind of how hot she looks in that dress.

I glance at her from the corner of my eye.

She has an odd, faraway look on her face.

Before I can say anything, she softly says, barely audible, "Logan, remember the alterna-prom?" She asks me.

I freeze for a moment, before replying "vaguely."

"Did you mean what you said about us being epic?"

He stares at her, eyes intense and glistening. Veronica is taken aback as she realises that Logan is talking about her. She doesn't know how to react.

LOGAN: I thought our story was epic, you know? You and me.
VERONICA: Epic how?

Logan takes another swig.

LOGAN: Spanning years and continents. Lives ruined, bloodshed, epic.

Logan pauses, staring intently at her. Veronica doesn't move.

LOGAN: But summer's almost here. And we won't see each other at all. Then you'll leave town then...it's over.
VERONICA: Logan...
LOGAN: I'm sorry. About last summer.

This surprises her. Logan is nearly in tears.

LOGAN: You know, if I could do it over...

Logan shuffles closer to her. Veronica makes a half-hearted attempt to dispel the tension.

VERONICA: Come on. Ruined lives, bloodshed? You really think a relationship should be that hard?
LOGAN: No one writes songs about the ones that come easy.

Logan shuffles closer to her again, his eyes never leaving her. Veronica doesn't move. She looks away, clears her throat and finally looks back at him, uncomfortable and uncertain. Logan leans his head closer to her. He reaches out and strokes her cheek. Veronica shivers slightly, sighs deeply and stares up at him. Logan leans closer and closer, about to kiss her. Veronica struggles to breath.

VERONICA: [strangled I have to go. I have to go.

I'm struggling for the right words, when I remember that Veronica is punch-drunk, she won't possibly remember what I say, let alone anything that happened tonight; unfortunately.

"Every word" I finally mutter. I glance sideways to see that Veronica is asleep, snoring softly, her chest rising and falling in perfect synchronization.

We reach her house, I nudge her gently to try to wake her up, it doesn't work. So I carry her up to the apartment.

I try to get the key from under the mat, My, what great detectives, I think sarcastically.

I open the door with a bit of difficulty, and take Veronica to her room.

When was the last time I was here? I wonder.

I put Veronica on her bed gently, trying not to wake her up.

She has her arms around me, and I gently pull them away.

I'm about to leave when Veronica mutters, half asleep "Don't leave me" I smile sadly, "I wish I didn't have to"

I turn around to try to capture the moment, Veronica sleeping peacefully, in red satin.

It was with great restraint that I stopped myself from kissing her.

"I love you now, I loved you then, and I'll always love you" I whisper into her ear before leaving.

I don't know what compelled me to do that. But something did.