Anthology, Part V, Chapter 5
V. Head First
Summary: The Echolls men and the Mars women each have encounters, the results of which are all kinds of awkward, but for entirely different reasons!
Futurefic. Possible spoilers for seasons 1-3.
Categories: Veronica, Logan, Lilly, Dick, Casey, Other Character
Genre: Angst, Drama, General, Mystery, Romance
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Logan Echolls, Veronica Mars, Casey Gant, Dick Casablancas, Lilly Kane
Author's Notes: Surprise! (I hope!) I hope this was worth the wait! Poor Logan, I just can't help picking on him. (I promise it's all done in the name of LoVe !) Oh, and the reference to Harry Potter was unintentional (although it did make me grin when I reread it!)
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
____________________________________________
Chapter 5 - All Kinds of Awkward (part 1)
Rick turned the key, and the boys were suddenly surrounded by silence and darkness. Steven stared out at the beach; he could just make out the figures by the light of the bon fire. He searched the horde for a petite, blonde, bikini-clad figure, but it was useless at this distance.
“What are you waiting for?”
Steven was startled out of his scrutiny by Rick’s question. He looked up to see that his friend had already climbed out of the car, and he hurried to follow suit. “Lead on.”
Rick led him down the embankment towards the party, and Steven followed dutifully, pausing occasionally to spill the sand out of his shoes. After the third delay and an irritated look from his companion, he decided to simply shuck them off. Hooking the canvas shoes on his fingers, he hastened after his impatient friend.
Steven caught up with Rick at the outskirts of the party-goers.
“Time to meet the guys!” Rick smiled encouragingly at him, and Steven mumbled his assent. He doubted he could be heard over the music pouring out of a nearby speaker, but Rick seemed to take his answer for granted. He nodded towards a group of guys standing around the keg, plastic cups in hand, and led him in that direction.
“Dude, this is Enbom!” Rick was slapping a boy with dark curly hair on the back. The boy held out his hand, and Steven shuffled his shoes awkwardly to his other hand and then grabbed his hand and gave it a perfunctory shake as Rick continued his introduction, “This is Steve-O. He just moved here.” Then he added, causing Steven to wince, “Dude! His father’s Logon Echolls!”
They made the rounds, and Steven quickly gave up on trying to remember the names. He’d figure them out at school on Monday. He caught himself searching the crowd, hoping to spy the tiny figure that he had seen in the school office. Rick’s voice brought his attention back, and he turned his head to find himself face to face with the object of his quest.
“Angel, I want you to meet my good friend Steve-O.”
Momentarily dumbfounded, Steven could do nothing but stare at her, earning an amused grin from Rick and a politely questioning look from the tiny blonde.
“Nice Chucks,” she said as if talking to a slow child, indicating the shoes clamped under his arm with a slight encouraging nod.
Steven looked down at his black canvas high tops, then looked up at her with a shy smile. “Thanks.”
“Not your typical beach footwear, though, is it?” Her mouthed curved slightly, in what Steven was sure was amusement at his expense, and he wished the sand would open up and swallow him. This was so not how he had imagined this meeting would go.
“Yeah, well you gotta cut my buddy some slack,” Rick attempted to come to the rescue, and Steven shot the boy a grateful look. “He just moved here from Colorado. Sandals probably didn’t figure big into his wardrobe.” Steven stumbled slightly as his friend clapped him on the back. “I’m gonna go get some more beer. You two want anything?” At their head shakes he turned and made his way into the crowd, pausing only to shoot Steven a conspiratory wink, which he chose to ignore.
“So…Steve-O?” Her dainty blonde eyebrows rose in a question.
“Actually,” he was relieved to finally find his voice, “it’s just Steven. Steven Echolls. And you’re Angel?”
She rolled her eyes in the direction Rick had disappeared. “It’s Angelica,” she sighed, “Angelica Mars. Rick is overly fond of nicknames, but we don’t all share his enthusiasm.” Her smile seemed to be contagious, and Steven hoped he didn’t look too goofy returning it. She indicated a large log lying near the fireside, and he nodded and followed her. Pulling the hem of her lightweight sweater down to mid thigh she sat down and patted the spot next to her in invitation. Steven hastened to join her, dropping his shoes into the sand.
“So your dad is the infamous Logan Echolls,” she turned the full force of her smile on him, and Steven had to remind himself to breathe. “Tell me, is everything they say about him true?”
“I dunno’,” he answered cautiously. As a rule, Steven tried to avoid answering questions about his family, but if it would earn him her undivided attention he would extol their tarnished virtues ‘til well into the night. “What’ve you heard?”
She laughed self-consciously, lowering her lashes, and Steven found himself fighting the urge to bend forward and kiss her. She met his eyes again, “Well, we all know about your grandfather. He tried to kill my mother, you know?” Her light tone belied the ominous revelation.
“That was your mom?” Steven started as he realized that his father had mentioned Angelica’s mother, although he was sure her name had never been brought up. He had been told about his grandfather exactly once, when his father had decided he was old enough to fully comprehend. It was a painful subject for his father, and he hadn’t elaborated beyond the bare facts. Aaron Echolls was not a nice man. He had cheated on his wife and driven her to suicide. He had slept with and then killed Logan’s first girlfriend, Lilly Kane, and tried to kill another one when she discovered his crimes. Steven thought back to his father’s story, but he was sure he had neglected to mention the name of that long-ago girlfriend. If he did indeed have his facts straight, that girl’s name must have been Veronica. Veronica Mars. Angelica’s mother.
Steven had never considered himself to be superstitious, but he found himself wondering if there might not be some sort of curse on the Echolls family. Both his mother and his grandmother had died so prematurely, and his father had had more than his share of misery in his lifetime. Steven didn’t even want to think about his grandfather’s transgressions. And now it seemed as though he was falling for the daughter of a girl who had been loved by his father and terrorized by his grandfather. He knew that it was probably a bad idea, and that he should run as fast as he could in the opposite direction.
But looking into her big brown eyes he couldn’t find the will to resist. Instead he scooted a little closer to her on the log so that their knees were practically touching. In a ploy that had proved effective for him in the past, he ducked his head and squinted earnestly up at her through the hair that fell messily about his forehead. “Um…yeah …sorry about that.”
“I don’t think you’re the one who should be apologizing,” she smiled at him kindly, “and I’m not the one who deserves an apology for that matter. You haven’t done anything to me,” her smile turned teasing as she added with a slight head tilt, “-yet!”
“Well I can fix that,” he murmured, impulsively leaning in for a kiss.
Angelica stood up suddenly, thwarting his attempt. “There’s that Echoll’s charm I’ve heard so much about,” she smirked. Cocking her eyebrow suggestively, she took his hand leading him away from the crowd.
Once they were far enough away from the fire that the darkness concealed them she turned to him. Steven let out a sigh of contentment as her lips finally met his. He wrapped his arms around her waist, drawing her close to him. She broke the kiss, pulling back to look at him, her brown eyes intense. Steven thought he should probably say something, but before he could think of anything she was kissing him again and his mind quit working all together. All he was aware of were sensations; her lips soft and warm, her hair like silk against his cheek. One hand slipped beneath her sweater to fiddle with the waistband of her cut-offs while his other hand curved behind her neck as he increased the force of the kiss. He felt her hands fist in his shirt, tugging him with her as she lowered herself onto the sand, then he was on his back and she was on top of him, and he couldn’t quite remember how they had gotten there. When her hands began to work on his belt buckle he stopped her, gently but firmly, grabbing her by the wrists.
“Slow down, Tiger.” He chuckled raggedly.
She looked at him sharply, her face showing amused disbelief. “What?”
“Let’s just talk for a minute.”
“Are you trying to tell me you’re not interested?” Her expression was suspicious, turning to incredulous as she asked, “Or wait, don’t tell me you’re a…virgin?”
“What? No! I’m NOT a virgin!” Steven pulled her to him, kissing her urgently. “And you’re crazy if you think I don’t want you,” he muttered against her lips, “but we just met. Don’t you think we’re moving a bit fast? What’s the rush?”
“You sound like a girl,” she huffed, throwing herself down onto the sand next to him, her arms wrapped tightly around her waist, eyes downcast.
With a finger under her chin, Steven lifted her eyes up to meet his. “Well, one of us has to be the girl,” he smirked, “and you’re definitely not living up to the part.”
To his relief she grinned back as she stood up slowly, extending her hand to help him up. “Alright,” she conceded, “but if we’re going to take it slow I think we both need to cool off. Ever do any skinny dipping in Colorado, Steve-O?” Her innocent smile did nothing to counteract her provocative question.
“I don’t really think that’s how you take things slow,” Steven pointed out.
“Come on, you big prude,” she laughed, pulling her sweater over her head, and dropping it at his feet, “I promise I’ll keep my hands above the waist.” She turned, and scampered toward the ocean, shedding pieces of clothing as she went.
Steven hesitated only a moment before pulling off his t-shirt and trailing after her. He was, after all, a teenage boy, not a saint, and there was only so much temptation that he could be expected to resist, especially, it seemed, when it involved Angelica Mars.
Arriving at the restaurant early, Logan decided to take a seat at the bar to wait for Dick and his date. He found a seat facing the entrance and ordered a drink. As he waited his eyes wandered around the room. The restaurant was new and, from the looks of it, pricey. The patrons were all dressed well, if somewhat conservatively, and Logan was glad he had decided to wear a suit. He looked at the faces, wondering if he would recognize anyone; all the while praying that he himself would not be recognized. Fortunately it seemed his face was no longer one of the most recognizable in Neptune, and he was relieved by this fact. He didn’t want Steven to grow up in the public eye the way he had. Having his story broadcasted on Tinsel Town Diaries had been one of the low points of his childhood, topped only by having a murderer for a father…and having his mom jump off a bridge…and being accused of murder…and being abused by his dad… Okay, so maybe Tinsel Town Diaries wasn’t the worst thing to ever happen to him, but it still made the top ten. Top twenty for sure.
Logan’s thoughts were interrupted by a couple entering the front door. He looked up expecting to see Dick and his mystery girl, but what he saw instead made his stomach knot up.
He would have known her anywhere, even after all this time. She should look older, he thought. He knew he did. Sixteen years is a long time after all. But all he could see was how beautiful she looked. Her hair was shorter again, reminiscent of their junior year, after Lilly died. Her dress was dark blue, bringing out her eyes, and backless. The sight of her pale smooth skin had Logan shifting uncomfortably in his seat. He had forgotten just how tiny she was - Veronica’s personality had always made her seem larger than life - but her diminutive stature was emphasized by her companion.
Logan’s eyes moved reluctantly from the tiny blonde to the dark figure beside her. Casey Gant took her wrap from her shoulders, his hand lingering possessively on the small of her back. A jolt of unjustified jealousy overcame Logan, and he had to take a deep calming breath to stop himself from vaulting across the room to forcibly remove Gant’s hands from the girl who, he reminded himself, no longer belonged to him. They hadn’t noticed him, and Logan told himself it was best if they didn’t. He wasn’t prepared for a confrontation yet. He watched silently as the hostess led them past him to their table. As he stared after them Gant’s hand dipped still lower causing Logan to tighten his grip on his glass.
A sharp pain and the tinkling of broken glass pulled Logan away from the sight. “Shit!” He dropped the remains of the tumbler on the bar and stared down at the blood dripping from the cuts on his hand. Immediately the bartender was there with a clean towel which Logan wrapped tightly around his palm.
“Logan?”
Logan had been in the process of assuring the bartender that he would be fine; the cuts were superficial and an ambulance would not be necessary. He turned around to find himself face to face with the person he had been trying to avoid. “Veronica, hey.”
“My God, Logan,” she gasped, noticing the bloody towel, “what did you do?” She grabbed for his hand, peeling back the makeshift bandage to take a look. Logan’s heart was beating erratically; the feel of her touch on his hand was electrifying.
(Get a grip; you’re not a teenager anymore!)
“Same old Logan, I see,” she dabbed at the largest cut, making him wince, “in town for a week and already there’s blood shed.”
The accusation behind her words stung him, and Logan quickly pulled his hand away. “It was an accident, Veronica. The glass probably had a crack in it; you can’t fault me for that.” His tone was mocking as he added, “But wait, I forgot, blaming me is one of the things you do best.” Logan was surprised at the feeling of satisfaction that he felt upon seeing her scowl. He felt a thrill as she opened her mouth to respond, anticipating the cutting retort she would hurl in his face. He wasn’t really surprised to discover that he was getting aroused at just the thought of a verbal sparring match.
(Our own sick version of foreplay.)
“Hey Logan. Long time no see.” Unfortunately she was stalled by her date. Casey joined them at the bar, taking in their hostile expressions. “Everything okay, Veronica?” He wrapped an arm around her waist pulling her against him protectively, and Logan had to bite his tongue to keep from growling.
“Oh, Logan’s had a little accident,” she turned her attention to Casey, her scowl morphing into a smile. “I was just about to suggest he have a doctor take a look at it. Wouldn’t want it to get infected, would we?” She cocked an eyebrow at him.
“Gee, it’s nice to know you care,” Logan grinned, blinking at her in an exaggerated manner, “but I think I’ll take my chances. I have a dinner date I’d just hate to miss.”
As if on cue, Dick entered the restaurant. The blonde on his arm was beautiful, beyond a doubt, but what caused Logan’s jaw to drop was her youthful appearance. The term ‘cradle-robbing’ leapt to mind. She couldn’t have been much older than Steven. He only hoped Dick was familiar with the statutory rape laws.
Dick spied him and waved, heading toward their little group. Logan glanced quickly at Veronica, taking in the set to her jaw and the way Casey’s grip tightened reassuringly on her waist. He gathered that Veronica and Dick were on less than civil terms.
(Some things never change.)
“Ronnie,” Dick grinned, “Last time I saw you was at the sheriff’s office.” Veronica’s eyes narrowed menacingly at his words, but Dick failed to notice. “How is Angel? She hasn’t been around as much lately. Too bad. I thought Rick and her made a cute couple. Just think, you and I coulda’ been in-laws!”
Both Logan’s and Casey’s eyes focused on Veronica in anticipation of her response. The expression of distaste that flitted across her face let them all know exactly how she felt about the possibility of being related to Dick Casablancas. Her lips curved in a malicious smile as she asked with faux concern, “Having some financial troubles, Dick?” At his puzzled look she added, “Trying to pick up a couple extra bucks by babysitting, I see.”
The younger girl’s eyes which, Logan noticed disconcertedly, had been staring intently at him, flicked to Veronica as she ran her hand up and down Dick’s arm possessively. “Now, now, Veronica,” she pouted, a wicked glint in her eye, “play nice. You know how much Daddy wants us to get along.”
“Since you brought him up, how does Duncan Kane feel about his daughter dating a man twice her age?” Veronica continued, but Logan couldn’t hear it over the blood pounding in his ears. He turned his attention back to the girl hanging on his friend. If Duncan was her father that would make her…
“Lilly?” His voice came out strangled, and Logan struggled to gain some control over his emotions. All eyes turned towards him, but Logan saw nothing beyond the young blonde, smiling delightedly at him. He searched her face for similarities and he was surprised to realize how much her face resembled her mother, Meg. He could see why he hadn’t noticed it before, though. Meg Manning’s face had been pretty in a sweet, angelic way. This girl, Lilly, had none of that innocence about her. She glowed with confidence and sexual-awareness. And that, Logan realized with a shock, was her aunt’s legacy. That and her eyes. She had Lilly’s eyes. Looking into them he almost felt like a teenager again.
“You’re Logan Echolls,” Lilly spoke, breaking the spell. “It’s wonderful to finally meet you. I understand you and my aunt were very close,” she purred, “I hope you and I can become just as close someday.”
The obvious innuendo caused Logan to blink. This girl was more like Lilly than he had imagined. He glanced at the other members of their little group. Dick was looking confounded by the conversation, as if contemplating the unexpected possibility of having to fight his best friend for the attentions of his date. Casey was battling to contain an amused smirk from spreading across his face. But most interesting, to Logan anyway, was the look of irritation, and, Logan dared to hope, jealousy that he saw expressed on Veronica’s face.
The hostess arrived, breaking the tension. She led Casey and Veronica away to a secluded corner table, and then returned to direct their party to a table situated by the large picture window. Logan trailed behind his companions, mentally kicking himself for his decision to move back to Neptune. The idea of coming face to face with Veronica again had been daunting enough. If he had known he would be confronted with Lilly and Veronica, the Next Generation, he never would have left Colorado!
(continued)
Summary: The Echolls men and the Mars women each have encounters, the results of which are all kinds of awkward, but for entirely different reasons!
Futurefic. Possible spoilers for seasons 1-3.
Categories: Veronica, Logan, Lilly, Dick, Casey, Other Character
Genre: Angst, Drama, General, Mystery, Romance
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Logan Echolls, Veronica Mars, Casey Gant, Dick Casablancas, Lilly Kane
Author's Notes: Surprise! (I hope!) I hope this was worth the wait! Poor Logan, I just can't help picking on him. (I promise it's all done in the name of LoVe !) Oh, and the reference to Harry Potter was unintentional (although it did make me grin when I reread it!)
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
____________________________________________
Chapter 5 - All Kinds of Awkward (part 1)
Rick turned the key, and the boys were suddenly surrounded by silence and darkness. Steven stared out at the beach; he could just make out the figures by the light of the bon fire. He searched the horde for a petite, blonde, bikini-clad figure, but it was useless at this distance.
“What are you waiting for?”
Steven was startled out of his scrutiny by Rick’s question. He looked up to see that his friend had already climbed out of the car, and he hurried to follow suit. “Lead on.”
Rick led him down the embankment towards the party, and Steven followed dutifully, pausing occasionally to spill the sand out of his shoes. After the third delay and an irritated look from his companion, he decided to simply shuck them off. Hooking the canvas shoes on his fingers, he hastened after his impatient friend.
Steven caught up with Rick at the outskirts of the party-goers.
“Time to meet the guys!” Rick smiled encouragingly at him, and Steven mumbled his assent. He doubted he could be heard over the music pouring out of a nearby speaker, but Rick seemed to take his answer for granted. He nodded towards a group of guys standing around the keg, plastic cups in hand, and led him in that direction.
“Dude, this is Enbom!” Rick was slapping a boy with dark curly hair on the back. The boy held out his hand, and Steven shuffled his shoes awkwardly to his other hand and then grabbed his hand and gave it a perfunctory shake as Rick continued his introduction, “This is Steve-O. He just moved here.” Then he added, causing Steven to wince, “Dude! His father’s Logon Echolls!”
They made the rounds, and Steven quickly gave up on trying to remember the names. He’d figure them out at school on Monday. He caught himself searching the crowd, hoping to spy the tiny figure that he had seen in the school office. Rick’s voice brought his attention back, and he turned his head to find himself face to face with the object of his quest.
“Angel, I want you to meet my good friend Steve-O.”
Momentarily dumbfounded, Steven could do nothing but stare at her, earning an amused grin from Rick and a politely questioning look from the tiny blonde.
“Nice Chucks,” she said as if talking to a slow child, indicating the shoes clamped under his arm with a slight encouraging nod.
Steven looked down at his black canvas high tops, then looked up at her with a shy smile. “Thanks.”
“Not your typical beach footwear, though, is it?” Her mouthed curved slightly, in what Steven was sure was amusement at his expense, and he wished the sand would open up and swallow him. This was so not how he had imagined this meeting would go.
“Yeah, well you gotta cut my buddy some slack,” Rick attempted to come to the rescue, and Steven shot the boy a grateful look. “He just moved here from Colorado. Sandals probably didn’t figure big into his wardrobe.” Steven stumbled slightly as his friend clapped him on the back. “I’m gonna go get some more beer. You two want anything?” At their head shakes he turned and made his way into the crowd, pausing only to shoot Steven a conspiratory wink, which he chose to ignore.
“So…Steve-O?” Her dainty blonde eyebrows rose in a question.
“Actually,” he was relieved to finally find his voice, “it’s just Steven. Steven Echolls. And you’re Angel?”
She rolled her eyes in the direction Rick had disappeared. “It’s Angelica,” she sighed, “Angelica Mars. Rick is overly fond of nicknames, but we don’t all share his enthusiasm.” Her smile seemed to be contagious, and Steven hoped he didn’t look too goofy returning it. She indicated a large log lying near the fireside, and he nodded and followed her. Pulling the hem of her lightweight sweater down to mid thigh she sat down and patted the spot next to her in invitation. Steven hastened to join her, dropping his shoes into the sand.
“So your dad is the infamous Logan Echolls,” she turned the full force of her smile on him, and Steven had to remind himself to breathe. “Tell me, is everything they say about him true?”
“I dunno’,” he answered cautiously. As a rule, Steven tried to avoid answering questions about his family, but if it would earn him her undivided attention he would extol their tarnished virtues ‘til well into the night. “What’ve you heard?”
She laughed self-consciously, lowering her lashes, and Steven found himself fighting the urge to bend forward and kiss her. She met his eyes again, “Well, we all know about your grandfather. He tried to kill my mother, you know?” Her light tone belied the ominous revelation.
“That was your mom?” Steven started as he realized that his father had mentioned Angelica’s mother, although he was sure her name had never been brought up. He had been told about his grandfather exactly once, when his father had decided he was old enough to fully comprehend. It was a painful subject for his father, and he hadn’t elaborated beyond the bare facts. Aaron Echolls was not a nice man. He had cheated on his wife and driven her to suicide. He had slept with and then killed Logan’s first girlfriend, Lilly Kane, and tried to kill another one when she discovered his crimes. Steven thought back to his father’s story, but he was sure he had neglected to mention the name of that long-ago girlfriend. If he did indeed have his facts straight, that girl’s name must have been Veronica. Veronica Mars. Angelica’s mother.
Steven had never considered himself to be superstitious, but he found himself wondering if there might not be some sort of curse on the Echolls family. Both his mother and his grandmother had died so prematurely, and his father had had more than his share of misery in his lifetime. Steven didn’t even want to think about his grandfather’s transgressions. And now it seemed as though he was falling for the daughter of a girl who had been loved by his father and terrorized by his grandfather. He knew that it was probably a bad idea, and that he should run as fast as he could in the opposite direction.
But looking into her big brown eyes he couldn’t find the will to resist. Instead he scooted a little closer to her on the log so that their knees were practically touching. In a ploy that had proved effective for him in the past, he ducked his head and squinted earnestly up at her through the hair that fell messily about his forehead. “Um…yeah …sorry about that.”
“I don’t think you’re the one who should be apologizing,” she smiled at him kindly, “and I’m not the one who deserves an apology for that matter. You haven’t done anything to me,” her smile turned teasing as she added with a slight head tilt, “-yet!”
“Well I can fix that,” he murmured, impulsively leaning in for a kiss.
Angelica stood up suddenly, thwarting his attempt. “There’s that Echoll’s charm I’ve heard so much about,” she smirked. Cocking her eyebrow suggestively, she took his hand leading him away from the crowd.
Once they were far enough away from the fire that the darkness concealed them she turned to him. Steven let out a sigh of contentment as her lips finally met his. He wrapped his arms around her waist, drawing her close to him. She broke the kiss, pulling back to look at him, her brown eyes intense. Steven thought he should probably say something, but before he could think of anything she was kissing him again and his mind quit working all together. All he was aware of were sensations; her lips soft and warm, her hair like silk against his cheek. One hand slipped beneath her sweater to fiddle with the waistband of her cut-offs while his other hand curved behind her neck as he increased the force of the kiss. He felt her hands fist in his shirt, tugging him with her as she lowered herself onto the sand, then he was on his back and she was on top of him, and he couldn’t quite remember how they had gotten there. When her hands began to work on his belt buckle he stopped her, gently but firmly, grabbing her by the wrists.
“Slow down, Tiger.” He chuckled raggedly.
She looked at him sharply, her face showing amused disbelief. “What?”
“Let’s just talk for a minute.”
“Are you trying to tell me you’re not interested?” Her expression was suspicious, turning to incredulous as she asked, “Or wait, don’t tell me you’re a…virgin?”
“What? No! I’m NOT a virgin!” Steven pulled her to him, kissing her urgently. “And you’re crazy if you think I don’t want you,” he muttered against her lips, “but we just met. Don’t you think we’re moving a bit fast? What’s the rush?”
“You sound like a girl,” she huffed, throwing herself down onto the sand next to him, her arms wrapped tightly around her waist, eyes downcast.
With a finger under her chin, Steven lifted her eyes up to meet his. “Well, one of us has to be the girl,” he smirked, “and you’re definitely not living up to the part.”
To his relief she grinned back as she stood up slowly, extending her hand to help him up. “Alright,” she conceded, “but if we’re going to take it slow I think we both need to cool off. Ever do any skinny dipping in Colorado, Steve-O?” Her innocent smile did nothing to counteract her provocative question.
“I don’t really think that’s how you take things slow,” Steven pointed out.
“Come on, you big prude,” she laughed, pulling her sweater over her head, and dropping it at his feet, “I promise I’ll keep my hands above the waist.” She turned, and scampered toward the ocean, shedding pieces of clothing as she went.
Steven hesitated only a moment before pulling off his t-shirt and trailing after her. He was, after all, a teenage boy, not a saint, and there was only so much temptation that he could be expected to resist, especially, it seemed, when it involved Angelica Mars.
Arriving at the restaurant early, Logan decided to take a seat at the bar to wait for Dick and his date. He found a seat facing the entrance and ordered a drink. As he waited his eyes wandered around the room. The restaurant was new and, from the looks of it, pricey. The patrons were all dressed well, if somewhat conservatively, and Logan was glad he had decided to wear a suit. He looked at the faces, wondering if he would recognize anyone; all the while praying that he himself would not be recognized. Fortunately it seemed his face was no longer one of the most recognizable in Neptune, and he was relieved by this fact. He didn’t want Steven to grow up in the public eye the way he had. Having his story broadcasted on Tinsel Town Diaries had been one of the low points of his childhood, topped only by having a murderer for a father…and having his mom jump off a bridge…and being accused of murder…and being abused by his dad… Okay, so maybe Tinsel Town Diaries wasn’t the worst thing to ever happen to him, but it still made the top ten. Top twenty for sure.
Logan’s thoughts were interrupted by a couple entering the front door. He looked up expecting to see Dick and his mystery girl, but what he saw instead made his stomach knot up.
He would have known her anywhere, even after all this time. She should look older, he thought. He knew he did. Sixteen years is a long time after all. But all he could see was how beautiful she looked. Her hair was shorter again, reminiscent of their junior year, after Lilly died. Her dress was dark blue, bringing out her eyes, and backless. The sight of her pale smooth skin had Logan shifting uncomfortably in his seat. He had forgotten just how tiny she was - Veronica’s personality had always made her seem larger than life - but her diminutive stature was emphasized by her companion.
Logan’s eyes moved reluctantly from the tiny blonde to the dark figure beside her. Casey Gant took her wrap from her shoulders, his hand lingering possessively on the small of her back. A jolt of unjustified jealousy overcame Logan, and he had to take a deep calming breath to stop himself from vaulting across the room to forcibly remove Gant’s hands from the girl who, he reminded himself, no longer belonged to him. They hadn’t noticed him, and Logan told himself it was best if they didn’t. He wasn’t prepared for a confrontation yet. He watched silently as the hostess led them past him to their table. As he stared after them Gant’s hand dipped still lower causing Logan to tighten his grip on his glass.
A sharp pain and the tinkling of broken glass pulled Logan away from the sight. “Shit!” He dropped the remains of the tumbler on the bar and stared down at the blood dripping from the cuts on his hand. Immediately the bartender was there with a clean towel which Logan wrapped tightly around his palm.
“Logan?”
Logan had been in the process of assuring the bartender that he would be fine; the cuts were superficial and an ambulance would not be necessary. He turned around to find himself face to face with the person he had been trying to avoid. “Veronica, hey.”
“My God, Logan,” she gasped, noticing the bloody towel, “what did you do?” She grabbed for his hand, peeling back the makeshift bandage to take a look. Logan’s heart was beating erratically; the feel of her touch on his hand was electrifying.
(Get a grip; you’re not a teenager anymore!)
“Same old Logan, I see,” she dabbed at the largest cut, making him wince, “in town for a week and already there’s blood shed.”
The accusation behind her words stung him, and Logan quickly pulled his hand away. “It was an accident, Veronica. The glass probably had a crack in it; you can’t fault me for that.” His tone was mocking as he added, “But wait, I forgot, blaming me is one of the things you do best.” Logan was surprised at the feeling of satisfaction that he felt upon seeing her scowl. He felt a thrill as she opened her mouth to respond, anticipating the cutting retort she would hurl in his face. He wasn’t really surprised to discover that he was getting aroused at just the thought of a verbal sparring match.
(Our own sick version of foreplay.)
“Hey Logan. Long time no see.” Unfortunately she was stalled by her date. Casey joined them at the bar, taking in their hostile expressions. “Everything okay, Veronica?” He wrapped an arm around her waist pulling her against him protectively, and Logan had to bite his tongue to keep from growling.
“Oh, Logan’s had a little accident,” she turned her attention to Casey, her scowl morphing into a smile. “I was just about to suggest he have a doctor take a look at it. Wouldn’t want it to get infected, would we?” She cocked an eyebrow at him.
“Gee, it’s nice to know you care,” Logan grinned, blinking at her in an exaggerated manner, “but I think I’ll take my chances. I have a dinner date I’d just hate to miss.”
As if on cue, Dick entered the restaurant. The blonde on his arm was beautiful, beyond a doubt, but what caused Logan’s jaw to drop was her youthful appearance. The term ‘cradle-robbing’ leapt to mind. She couldn’t have been much older than Steven. He only hoped Dick was familiar with the statutory rape laws.
Dick spied him and waved, heading toward their little group. Logan glanced quickly at Veronica, taking in the set to her jaw and the way Casey’s grip tightened reassuringly on her waist. He gathered that Veronica and Dick were on less than civil terms.
(Some things never change.)
“Ronnie,” Dick grinned, “Last time I saw you was at the sheriff’s office.” Veronica’s eyes narrowed menacingly at his words, but Dick failed to notice. “How is Angel? She hasn’t been around as much lately. Too bad. I thought Rick and her made a cute couple. Just think, you and I coulda’ been in-laws!”
Both Logan’s and Casey’s eyes focused on Veronica in anticipation of her response. The expression of distaste that flitted across her face let them all know exactly how she felt about the possibility of being related to Dick Casablancas. Her lips curved in a malicious smile as she asked with faux concern, “Having some financial troubles, Dick?” At his puzzled look she added, “Trying to pick up a couple extra bucks by babysitting, I see.”
The younger girl’s eyes which, Logan noticed disconcertedly, had been staring intently at him, flicked to Veronica as she ran her hand up and down Dick’s arm possessively. “Now, now, Veronica,” she pouted, a wicked glint in her eye, “play nice. You know how much Daddy wants us to get along.”
“Since you brought him up, how does Duncan Kane feel about his daughter dating a man twice her age?” Veronica continued, but Logan couldn’t hear it over the blood pounding in his ears. He turned his attention back to the girl hanging on his friend. If Duncan was her father that would make her…
“Lilly?” His voice came out strangled, and Logan struggled to gain some control over his emotions. All eyes turned towards him, but Logan saw nothing beyond the young blonde, smiling delightedly at him. He searched her face for similarities and he was surprised to realize how much her face resembled her mother, Meg. He could see why he hadn’t noticed it before, though. Meg Manning’s face had been pretty in a sweet, angelic way. This girl, Lilly, had none of that innocence about her. She glowed with confidence and sexual-awareness. And that, Logan realized with a shock, was her aunt’s legacy. That and her eyes. She had Lilly’s eyes. Looking into them he almost felt like a teenager again.
“You’re Logan Echolls,” Lilly spoke, breaking the spell. “It’s wonderful to finally meet you. I understand you and my aunt were very close,” she purred, “I hope you and I can become just as close someday.”
The obvious innuendo caused Logan to blink. This girl was more like Lilly than he had imagined. He glanced at the other members of their little group. Dick was looking confounded by the conversation, as if contemplating the unexpected possibility of having to fight his best friend for the attentions of his date. Casey was battling to contain an amused smirk from spreading across his face. But most interesting, to Logan anyway, was the look of irritation, and, Logan dared to hope, jealousy that he saw expressed on Veronica’s face.
The hostess arrived, breaking the tension. She led Casey and Veronica away to a secluded corner table, and then returned to direct their party to a table situated by the large picture window. Logan trailed behind his companions, mentally kicking himself for his decision to move back to Neptune. The idea of coming face to face with Veronica again had been daunting enough. If he had known he would be confronted with Lilly and Veronica, the Next Generation, he never would have left Colorado!
(continued)