I never intended to write more for this story. However, I was rereading the epilogue recently and decided it'd be nice to write a purely Christmas update since the time frame was almost Christmas in the final chapter. Consider this my Christmas gift to all the readers who've so devotedly read my Veronica Mars stories. Since it's been a year since the last update, you may want to go back and reread the epilogue before reading this. It takes place a week or so after Weevil returns from his imprisonment from overseas. I hope you like it. Merry Christmas!

A Bonus Christmas Chapter

******Christmas Eve******

Weevil sat up in bed with a gasp, his heart hammering. His sudden movement woke his wife.

"Are you okay?" Kali asked in concern.

"I'm fine," he said. He leaned over and kissed her. "Go back to bed. I'm going to get a drink."

She watched him a moment with a frown, but his smile must have reassured her. She settled back into bed and closed her eyes.

Weevil made his way to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water. Gulping it down, he took a deep breath. Although it was great being home, it was difficult. He kept dreaming about the explosion that led to his imprisonment. Each time there would be someone else he loved in the building, and he'd be unable to save them. This last dream, it'd been Logan. He'd saved Logan once from a burning building. But in his nightmare, he failed Logan every time.

Weevil picked up the house phone and dialed Logan's number.

"Is everything all right?" Logan asked anxiously. Weevil had been back a week, but Logan was still scared—scared that it was all a dream. He was afraid one day he'd wake up and discover his adopted brother was dead like his mother. Weevil hadn't called him in the middle of the night since his return, so his call brought him fear.

"Everything's fine," Weevil assured him. "I—I just needed to talk to you."

"What's wrong?" Logan asked.

Weevil hesitated a moment. He and Logan were close, but neither wore their hearts on their sleeves. They never needed to use words most of the time. The bond between them was as tangible as their love for their wives. It was absolute. "I keep having nightmares," he admitted.

That didn't surprise Logan too much. It would've been more surprising if he didn't have any. However, Logan had never been to war nor been a prisoner of one, so he wasn't sure how to help. He did his best. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked cautiously.

"I keep having this reoccurring dream about the day I was captured," he began. "The bomb and explosion is the same. However, I'm not always the one in it. Sometimes it's Kali or my brothers. Once it was the twins. Tonight it was you. I'm watching from a safe distance, and I can't save anyone. Unlike the last time you were in a burning building, I was powerless to save you."

"Man, that's rough," Logan said with sympathy. He'd had more than his share of nightmares—trying and failing to save his mother, Lilly, and Veronica. He knew how awful that feeling was.

"Yeah," Weevil said with a sigh. He rubbed his eyes. "I'm so tired. I can't seem to rest."

"Isn't that normal? I mean you've been through a nightmare," Logan said. "You came back from the dead. It's going to take some time."

"I guess," Weevil said. He wasn't sure what he wanted from Logan, but it was good to just be able to talk to him again. The months he was gone he'd spent hours thinking about the past few years with Logan. Things had changed so much since he'd pull Logan from his burning house. "Have you ever wondered where we'd be if I hadn't pulled you from that fire?"

"I'd be dead," Logan said dryly.

"No, I mean what if that fire hadn't happened or if you weren't there when it did," Weevil said. "What if there was never a real reason for you and me to put aside our differences?"

Logan had thought about that more than once. He hated to think of a world where he existed without his adopted family. "I'd be utterly miserable," he said.

"You'd have V. You'd be okay," Weevil said.

"I'm not sure I'd be good enough for her if it wasn't for your grandmother," Logan confessed. "I'd have wasted a lot more years getting my act together that's for sure. My son would probably not be here now. Veronica would have gotten tired of me screwing up. I'd probably not even have her."

"Yeah," Weevil said. "I'm not sure I'd been ready for Kali if I hadn't loved Mac first. I only connected with her because of you and Veronica. She changed me like no one ever had before. I'd never met anyone like her. She gave me confidence. I felt like somebody when I was with her, ya know?"

"Yeah, I do," Logan said, glancing at the woman lying next to him who could sleep through anything. "We are very lucky."

"Blessed is what Grandma would say," Weevil said with a chuckle. He felt better already.

"If I could, I'd thank Thumper for setting my house on fire," Logan confessed. "He did me a favor."

"Seriously?" Weevil asked in surprise. Logan was echoing his very own thoughts, which was proof of how connected they were even with all their differences.

"Not only did I despise that place, but I wouldn't have three brothers," Logan said. Tony and Jordan were his brothers and had treated him like one from the beginning. He had loved spoiling them and basked in their admiration. No one had really admired him before they had—at least not with the respect they had for him. It had made him want to be a better role model for them. He had wanted to set a good example.

"You've always had plenty of friends," Weevil pointed out. It hadn't always been easy to accept that Logan no longer saw him as inferior. It wasn't until he'd enlisted and had Logan's unwavering support that he realized how much he really could count on the once entitled jackass.

"But Dick and Duncan didn't take me in when I had no home or nothing." Logan said. "It was your family that did. Your family had less material things, but you offered me what I needed. A home, love, a place to belong. You and your family became my family. I love you, and if you die fighting some dumb war, I'll be seriously pissed."

Weevil grinned, wishing he could see Logan's face. "If I was a cop, I'd be risking my life every day. So look on the bright side. Only your woman has that distinction," Weevil pointed out.

Logan groaned. "Why'd you have to remind me? Do you know how maddening it is to have all this money and the two people I love most in the world still insist on risking their lives needlessly?"

"I wouldn't say it was needlessly," Weevil said.

"Yeah, well, you have your version, and I have the truth," Logan said glumly. He would never be happy about the risks Weevil and Veronica had to sometimes take. He understood, but he'd never be happy with their career choices.

Weevil laughed. "Just doing my part," he said.

"I'm proud of you, though," Logan said, surprising Weevil.

"Really?" he asked. Logan had never really said that to him before.

"Yes," Logan said. "I don't think I know anyone besides Keith Mars that I admire more than you. I don't understand the Marines or why you'd want to go off in the jungle with a bunch of stinky men. But I admire your courage and your selflessness. Surviving an imprisonment with your sanity intact and still willing to go back to your unit. I'm in awe of you really. I could never do it. Not for anything."

His admittance caught Weevil off guard, and he was quiet a minute. "Thanks, Logan," he finally said quietly. "That means a lot to me."

"You're welcome," Logan said. "Come over tomorrow and Dick and I will take you surfing. See if you've forgotten all we taught you."

"It's two days before Christmas," Weevil reminded him. "The water's freezing."

"What? A big bad Marine such as yourself can't handle a bit of cold water?" Logan teased.

"Oh, I can handle it," Weevil said firmly. "I'll come, but you have to buy me breakfast. And not McDonalds!"

"They make a mean sausage biscuit," Logan defended. "But I can manage something better if you can manage to stay on your board."

Weevil laughed. "Fine. I think I'm ready for bed," Weevil announced as he stifled a yawn.

"You feeling better?"

"I am," Weevil said. "Thanks."

"Anytime," Logan said. "See you in a few hours."

Weevil said goodbye and hung up. Logan shut off his phone.

"Is everything okay?" Veronica asked. She'd woken and overheard the last part.

Logan gave her a reassuring smile. "Yes, it was Weevil. He was having trouble sleeping. Bad dreams," Logan explained.

"Oh," Veronica said in understanding. "We've experienced that a few times, haven't we?"

He put his arm around her and brought her against his chest. "Too many times," he muttered. "I hate that he's suffering, but I'm glad it's only mental. Not only could he be dead like we thought, but they could've hurt him badly. They didn't. He's lucky."

"Yes," she agreed. It was still hard to get used to the fact that the hole in their lives was healed. It felt surreal sometimes. However, she was overjoyed. "I'm so glad he's back. Christmas was really going to suck without him. Who's Dick going to annoy? I love Weevil's cranky face. It always makes me laugh."

Logan chuckled. "He's going to go surfing with us later today," he said yawning.

"You better go back to sleep," she said. "I'm going to go check on Eli."

She got up and went to the connecting room. Her son was nestled next to the stuffed Tiger Dick gave him. Unable to help herself, she lightly brushed the small patch of platinum hair. He was such a miracle to her. She'd never thought she'd be both a mother and a wife. Not since Lilly died anyway and her world had changed forever. Life was perfect right now. Her personal life couldn't be better. Her career was in a good place. She'd taken a leave when Weevil had been reported dead. Then she'd given birth to Eli the night they'd buried his empty casket. She was supposed to report to the San Francisco field office after the New Year. Her son would grow up a short distance from her dad and her baby sister. The thought made her smile.

Turning away, she went back to her husband. He wasn't asleep but waiting for her. She smiled at the familiar look in his eyes.

"I can't sleep," he complained. "I think you should do your wifely duty and wear me out!"

Veronica laughed. "It's a tough job but somebody's got to do it!" she teased. She threw herself on the bed, landing next to Logan, who wasted no time in pulling her over to rest on top of him.

"I love you," he said, smiling warmly at her. "I'm so happy for our full life. Our friends and family. But you—you're everything to me. I can survive just about anything. But I wouldn't survive the loss of you, so please don't take unnecessary risks when you go back to work."

"I won't," she promised. "But you're strong, Logan. If something did happen to me, you'd survive. You'd be there for our son."

Logan shook his head. The thought terrified him to his core. "No! That's one loss I couldn't recover from. It'd destroy me, so please. Let me die first!" he begged.

Veronica gave a slight smile. "I'll do my best," she said. "But I'd rather we die together in our beds at the ripe old age of ninety."

"That sounds like a plan," he said as he fused his lips to hers.

*****The Next Day*****

Kali came over with Weevil. They brought the twins. Little Lettie was so always so excited to see baby Eli. She thought a live baby doll was the coolest thing ever. Logan 2.0 was not impressed.

"He don't do nothin' but eat and cry," he complained as he watched Veronica dress him.

"That's not true," Veronica said. "He's smiling now. Maybe you and Lettie can see which one of you can get him to smile."

Logan 2.0 was very competitive. It cracked his namesake up because Weevil wasn't really competitive by nature. Kali claimed he took after her. She'd been an athlete in high school.

"I'm better than Lettie at everything!" Logan 2.0 boasted.

"Not so!" Lettie said, giving her brother a mutinous look. "Daddy says I'm the bestest girl in the world!"

Logan 2.0 scoffed scornfully. "Being the best girl is nothin'! I'm the best boy! Boys are so much better!"

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

"Why?" Lettie asked. "Boys aren't pretty. They can't get their hair fixed in lots of different ways or wear pretty dresses. Boys are dirty and stupid!"

"I'm not stupid!" Logan 2.0, glaring at his sister.

"That's 'cause you have a twin that's a girl. You got half my smarts!" Lettie bragged, surprising Veronica with her quick logic.

"I don't want to wear no stupid dress anyway!" Logan 2.0 said with a frown. "Boys can fart and burp. Girls won't. Plus, we can pee standing up!" He looked especially proud of that last remark. Veronica had to work hard not to laugh out loud.

Lettie frowned, not having a comeback for that. It was pretty cool not having to sit down to pee. She'd tried it once and got pee on her leg. It was really gross. Mama had not been happy.

"How about you both agree that you each are awesome in different ways?" Veronica suggested diplomatically. "And you're very lucky to have each other. Logan won't make nearly the dumb mistakes with girls that his daddy and Uncle Logan made."

"He won't?" Lettie asked.

"Nope," Veronica answered.

"Why not?" Lettie wondered.

Logan wondered too but didn't say anything. His Aunt Veronica was the coolest. She knew everything, and she carried a gun for her job. Logan thought she was the best aunt ever. He waited for her reply.

"Because he'll have you. You'll teach him all he'll ever need to know about women," Veronica said, smiling.

Lettie smiled happily. "I can do that! I'm very smart!" she preened.

"Yes, you are. So is Logan. He'll know much more about girls than the other boys his age," Veronica said confidently. "Now let's put Eli in his baby chair, so he can watch you two. He's able to focus now. Watching others is how he learns. Even though he can't talk, he's thinking."

"Really?" Logan asked, intrigued. "So he can understand what I say?"

"Well, some of it. He'll learn more the more you talk to him," Veronica explained.

Kali came into the room. "Breakfast is ready," she said. She'd offered to cook some huevos rancheros. Not an offer Veronica was going to refuse.

The kids ran to the kitchen. Veronica laughed. "Those two are so funny! You got your hands full," she said.

"The one good thing about twins is they keep each other entertained. But they do need a referee sometimes," Kali said as Veronica handed her Eli to carry. She snuggled him. "He's so precious. So pale and angel-like."

Veronica smiled proudly. "I'm glad I didn't have a twins. I like giving him all my attention," she admitted.

After they fed the twins and got a plate for themselves, they sipped coffee and watched the twins try to make Eli smile. "So Logan wants us to host Christmas here. Is that okay?" Veronica asked.

"I'm such a mess that I can't imagine trying to host anything," Kali said with a rueful smile. "I just can't keep my mind focused on much outside of the twins. I just can't believe he's back with us."

"Yeah, it's the best Christmas present ever," Veronica said, smiling.

"It's going to be a while before he's back to normal. He's not sleeping well," Kali shared.

"I know. He called Logan last night when he couldn't sleep," Veronica said. "I had trouble sleeping after Logan's dad tried to kill me. It takes time for the horror to go away. But it will. When does he have to report back to duty?"

"They're giving him two months leave, so he won't have to go back until sometimes in February," Kali said.

"That's great. You'll get a lot of time with him. He'll get back to his old self," Veronica said. Then she grimaced. "At least the nightmares will fade. I doubt you ever move past this kind of thing completely."

"No," Kali agreed. She glanced at the kids. Then she turned to Veronica. "Do you feel up to going to the mall? We can get the kids picture taken with Santa."

Veronica's eyes lit up at the thought. "That would be awesome! I have the perfect outfit!" she enthused.

Kali laughed. Veronica had become a clothes horse on her son's behalf. She was worse than Kali, and Kali had two! "It'll be a nice surprise for the boys," Kali said.

"I'll call Mac and have her meet us for lunch at the mall. I know she'll enjoy watching them, too," Veronica said. She got up to get her phone.

Kali sighed. It was so good to have normal things to focus on. The horror of the past few months was already starting to fade.

******The Beach*****

Dick sat on his board watching Weevil take a small wave. He managed to ride it without wiping out.

"Great job, dude!" he called out. He saw a bigger coming behind him. He looked to Logan. "Dibs." He paddled out and jumped on his board.

Weevil took his place next to Logan. Logan grinned. "You still got it!"

"I guess so," Weevil said with a smirk. They watched Dick. "I missed the view a lot." He took a deep breath, breathing in the clean smell of the salt water. He wasn't a sun worshipper like Logan and Dick, but he did love the ocean.

"Yeah, I'm not sure I could ever go very long without the ocean nearby," Logan said.

"Is Wallace going to come home for Christmas?" Weevil asked.

Logan shook his head. "They came here for your homecoming. They have to go to his in-laws for Christmas," Logan said. "He did say he could probably manage a two day trip if Dick and Mac are throwing their New Year's Eve party."

Weevil snorted. "Don't come in for Christmas but manage to come in for Dick's all night open bar! Typical. Once a frat boy always a frat boy," Weevil said with a smile.

Logan grinned. "I think Veronica kind of likes having him come after Christmas," he said. "Then she gets to focus more on him. With this being the baby's first Christmas and you being back, her plate is full."

"I can't believe you all had a funeral for me and everything," Weevil said, shaking his head. "That's some messed up shit."

"It really is," Logan agreed. "I'm just glad we got our Hallmark moment."

"Yeah, well, the Hallmark moment is over. Now it's living with what happened. You know Kali's terrified now like she wasn't before," Weevil said, frowning. "She was happy being a military wife. But now? I'm not so sure."

"Hey, she's happy being your wife period. She'll adjust," Logan said.

"Yeah," Weevil said, not sounding convincing.

"What are you thinking so hard about?" Logan asked.

"I'm up for reenlistment next May," Weevil shared.

"Yeah? Are you thinking about not?" Logan asked in surprise.

"I love being a Marine. It's like being a part of a brotherhood. Like when I was a PCHer but so much better," Weevil shared. "I love it more than just about anything."

"But not more than Kali and the twins," Logan supplied.

Weevil nodded. "I don't want her to be unhappy or so fearful when I'm on deployment," he said. "I want more children. And if we had them, I'm not sure I want to keep missing stuff. I want to be there for all their big moments and their little ones."

"Do you think you'd be happy giving it up?" Logan asked, knowing how important the military was to him.

Weevil sighed. "I don't know," he admitted. "I know, though, I never want to put my family through this again."

"We don't want to go through it again either," Logan said. "But we also know how much you love being a Marine. I don't want you to quit and then be miserable. Have you talked to Kali about this?"

Weevil shook his head. "No. I can't. Not until I know what I want," Weevil said.

"What would you do?" Logan asked.

"Probably be a cop," Weevil said with a snicker.

Logan groaned. "You're kidding, right?" he asked.

"Probably in San Diego. Not Neptune. I can't abide the Neptune police without V's dad," Weevil said.

"A cop's life is risky, too," Logan pointed out.

"Yes, but there's no chance of me being held prisoner. Also, I'd get to come home every night to my wife. The twins would have me at their games or whatever they get in to," Weevil said.

"I know I'd love having you here more," Logan said. "But I know Kali well enough to know she fell in love with a Marine, not a cop. She knows what you are, what you do, and she's happy with it."

"Maybe," Weevil acknowledged. "But I want her to always be happy. I don't want to keep uprooting the kids. Next year they'll be in school. I don't think having them change schools every year or two is a good thing. Maybe I should do what's best for everyone."

"You know I'll support you no matter what," Logan said.

"I know," Weevil said with an easy smile. They watched Dick as he took another wave. Then wiped out.

"We better head out there and show him how it's done," Logan said, grinning.

"Lead the way," Weevil said as he got down on the board and began to paddle.

******Christmas Day*****

Veronica looked around the room, the joy in the moment bringing tears to her eyes. Logan and Weevil were sitting on the floor with the twins and their son. Her sister Michelle was looking on with interest, but her new baby doll held her attention for the most part. Weevil was helping the twins put together the train set Logan had got them. Logan held little Eli on the floor between his legs while barking orders to Weevil.

They'd had a wonderful dinner with her parents and Logan's family. Lettie had cooked a beautiful turkey. Dick, Mac, and Cassidy had joined them. Cassidy had introduced them to his new boyfriend. He'd come a long way from the suicidal near homicidal man he'd once been. Veronica recognized that Cassidy had been a disturbed and lost young teen when he'd assaulted her a decade ago. Dick and Cassidy had no extended family outside of their mother, who rarely paid them any attention still. Since Cassidy only came around at Thanksgiving and Christmas, Veronica could deal. Dick and Mac were their best friends, and Dick had worked hard to be a better brother to Cassidy. Sometimes Veronica couldn't believe the man Dick had become. He was so far from the utter ass he used to be that she almost didn't recognize him. Logan insisted that man was always there, but he needed someone to believe in him. Someone like Mac.

Veronica looked over at Mac, who was showing Kali how to use her new laptop they'd gotten her. Her dad and Kathy were playing Monopoly with Jordan and Tony. Laughter was heard every few minutes. Everything was perfect.

She walked over and stood behind Logan, smiling down at the twins, who were enraptured by the sight of the moving train.

"See I told you that you had the tracks wrong!" Logan said smugly.

Weevil glared at Logan. Veronica laughed. Some things never changed.

Cassidy's boyfriend was playing on a keyboard. Cheerful Christmas songs were being played but not sung. Cassidy surprised them all when he began to sing in a strong, pleasant tenor the words to O Holy Night.

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!

Veronica wasn't surprised when her father jumped up first and began to sing with him. She added her voice to the mix. Soon they were all singing the carol. It was a sweet moment. To be together like this after thinking they'd lost Weevil was divine. That was the best word to describe what she was feeling.

Then Dick said, "Okay, now it's time for my favorite!"

Cassidy grinned and whispered to his boyfriend. Veronica laughed as they began to sing Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer.

Logan stood and handed her the baby while he put his arm around her shoulder.

"Thank you for not giving up on me back when I was the king jackass," Logan whispered to her.

"Thank you for always saving me and giving me the most perfect life," she replied, love shining in her eyes.

"It's been my greatest pleasure," he said. Then he kissed her softly.

When Mac suggested The Twelve Days of Christmas, Dick groaned, complaining the song was impossible.

"Not if you have a brain!" Veronica boasted.

Logan walked over to Weevil who was smiling at the familiar bickering between Veronica and Dick.

"Did you miss the fights, too?" Logan asked with a grin.

"I never thought I would, but yeah. I really did," Weevil said honestly. "It's hard to fully appreciate the innocence and affection underneath it until you're in the middle of an actual war. When you're confronted with bitter prejudice and hatred, it puts everything in a new light."

Logan threw his arm around his shoulder. "It's good to have you back home where you belong. We missed your ugly face," Logan said, grinning down at him.

"My sexy-beyond-belief face missed your arrogant mug, too," Weevil said with a snicker.

"Let's try not to get captured or blown up in the New Year, okay?" Logan suggested.

"I'll do my best," Weevil said dryly. The twins started fighting over the train set, and he walked over there to separate them.

Grandma Lettie came up to Logan.

"This was a good day," she said, smiling at him.

"It was a perfect day," Logan agreed.

"It warms my heart to have all my boys in one place once again," she said.

Logan hugged her. "I can't believe we got him back," he commented as they watched Weevil with his children.

"It's a miracle," she said solemnly.

"I never believed in miracles," Logan admitted honestly. "Then you took me, gave me a family, and changed my life. I love you."

She put her hand on his cheek like she often did as she gave him a look full of love. "You've always been a good boy. You just got a little lost. Your beautiful mother would be so proud of the man you've become. She'd love her grandson so much," Lettie said.

Her words filled him with emotion. The thought of his mother with his son was a sweet dream, one that he knew would never come to past. However, if Lettie was right, they'd meet again in the next life.

"Yes, she would," he said, swallowing hard. "Merry Christmas, Grandma Lettie," he said.

"Merry Christmas, mi nieto," she said. "Vamos a tener un gran año nuevo."

Logan had a very good feeling about the New Year also. "Yes, it's going to be great!" he agreed.

*****The End*****

I was frantically trying to finish this before Christmas was officially over. I hope you enjoyed it and that your New Year brings you great things! As always, thanks so much for reading and encouraging me in my writing. You all are the best!