Could This Be Happening? Part 51
Title: Could This Be Happening? Part 51
Author: christykq
Rating: M for language and innuendos mostly, some sex
Characters/Pairings: LoVe, ensemble
Word Count: 4349
Spoilers: Begins with 3.05 and goes through S3.
Disclaimer: I own nothing in the VM universe, it all belongs to the master RT. I also do not earn a profit from any one of the many brand names named in my story and no copyright infringement is intended.
A/N: Character’s thoughts are italic.
Part 51
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[After Season Three]
[1 day postpartum]
“This is it. I’m buying the kid this.” Dick proclaims loudly to Mac’s back as she walks further down the aisle. He tucks the very large, very soft teddy bear under his arm and follows his girlfriend to another aisle in Babies R Us.
“I think I’m going to get him a cute, little outfit-…” Mac stops and picks up an extremely small pair of Converse high-tops. “…with sneakers…” She drops the shoes in the cart. “…and a pack of diapers.” She sees a tiny baseball hat hanging on a hook. “…and a baseball hat.”
“Oh, that’s creative. What? Are you just going to walk around the store and fuckin’ buy everything that’s cute?” Dick mocks while he throws the stuffed bear in the cart.
“Well, you know they’ll use the diapers at least.” Brad pipes in, supporting Mac’s side of the argument. “I think I’m going with the tried and true…” He holds his hands out for a dramatic effect. “…Wait for it…” He looks at Dick and Mac then back to Dick again. “…gift certificate.”
They both moan in response.
“What? And like a pack of diapers or a teddy bear is any better? I think not.” Brad states then stomps toward the cashier.
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“Honey, come on.” Keith looks at his watch. “It’s nine o’clock and I have a grandson to see.” He tugs her hand and hurries down the hospital hallway.
“Keith, the baby isn’t going anywhere. You’ll have plenty of time to love him.” Alicia says, trying to get Darryl to move a little bit quicker, down the hall, before Keith pulls her arm out of it’s socket.
Finally, they arrive at the nurses’ desk in the maternity hall. “Veronica Mars.” Keith exhales.
The nurse at the desk, which happens to be Veronica’s nurse, Renee, laughs. “I think you mean, Veronica Echolls, Sir.”
Keith smacks his forehead with his palm. “You’re right. I’m sorry, I’m a little excited to see my grandchild.” Keith chuckles and takes a deep breath.
“I’m sorry, Sir, but, visiting hours begin at ten o’clock.” Renee states firmly.
“No, please, can’t I just get in to see my grandson?” Keith pleads.
Renee’s face breaks into a smile and she laughs. “I’m sorry. Veronica told me to say that. Visiting hours began six minutes ago and you’re welcome to go to her room. It’s that one right there.” Renee points to the room down the hall from the nurses’ station.
Keith, Darryl and Alicia look where Renee points. Keith nods in appreciation and the trio walks to Veronica’s room.
“Knock, knock.” Keith calls out as he leads Darryl and Alicia into Veronica’s room. Veronica is lying on top of her covers, reading a magazine and Logan is holding Will in his arms, feeding him.
“Hi. Come on in.” Veronica says cheerfully as she tosses her magazine to the nearby table.
“There’s the future Padres second-basemen.” Keith bounces over to Logan, touches Will’s cheek with his thumb and slaps Logan on the upper arm. “Congratulations, Daddy.”
Logan’s smile fills his face. “Thanks, Grandpa.”
Darryl waves hello and sits on the end of Veronica’s bed, watching the excitement quietly.
Veronica acknowledges Darryl with a short hug then gets a huge hug from Alicia.
Alicia releases the new mom from her grasp and holds Veronica’s arms away from her body. “Honey, you look fabulous. How do you feel?”
Veronica shrugs. “Great. No pain at all.”
“Good.” Alicia turns in her spot and examines the infant in Logan’s arms. “He’s beautiful.”
“He takes after me.” Logan jokes.
“Yeah, whatever you say, now hand him over.” Keith holds his hands out for the baby, giving Logan the ‘give ‘em here’ gesture.
“Keith, stand back, I want to get a picture of Daddy and Will first.” Alicia chimes, holding her camera up to her face and snapping a picture. “Then I have presents.” She continues to take multiple pictures of, what seems to everyone else in the room, the same exact photo of Logan and Will.
“No kiss or hug from you, Dad?” Veronica whines.
Keith waves his daughter’s comment away with a swoosh of his hand. “I can hug you anytime.” Veronica scoffs and frowns dramatically but is ignored by the others.
Keith’s patience finally gets the best of him and he shoves past Alicia and her camera and takes Will out of Logan’s hands. “Come to Grandpa, Will.” He cuddles the baby in his arms and shoos Logan out of the lounge chair, settling in his seat with a huge smile on his face as Logan hands him the bottle of formula.
“You can burp him now, since you took him right out of my hands.” Logan grumbles and fist pumps Darryl.
“I have presents.” Alicia announces, digging in her large bag. “For you.” She hands a Veronica an envelope. “For you.” She hands Logan an envelope. “For you.” She hands Darryl an envelope.
Veronica rips her envelope open to reveal two gift certificates for a head-to-toe spa treatment at a local Neptune spa. “Alright. Thank you.”
Logan pulls out a gift certificate for Tripoli, the local Italian restaurant, and a handmade coupon for free babysitting from his envelope. “I guess we get a night out, Honey.” He holds up the pieces of paper.
“And a day at the spa.” She smiles at her husband and he winks in response.
Darryl opens up his envelope and pouts spectacularly. “Mom, that’s not fair.” He holds up two handmade coupons.
Alicia laughs and shrugs. “Well, I didn’t want to leave you out.”
The coupons are obviously for Logan and Veronica. When Darryl holds the paper in the air for everyone to see, the coupons clearly read ‘Free Babysitting’. Everyone except Darryl laughs as he hands his envelope to Logan and rolls his eyes.
“More pictures. Smile Mommy.” Alicia points the camera at Veronica sitting comfortably on her hospital bed, looks through the eyepiece and drops the camera from her face. “Is your jewelry new?” Alicia smiles affectionately at Veronica.
Veronica smiles bright. “Yep. My hubby bought them for me.” She holds out her hand for Alicia’s evaluation. “Did you see my ring and bracelet?”
Alicia examines the fine jewelry and looks at Logan. “My oh my, you must really love your wife, Logan.”
Logan wrinkles his nose. “Nah, the jewelry model was cute.” He shrugs and dodges a bed pillow Veronica launches at his head.
“You’re making the rest of us look bad, Son.” Keith says from his position burping the baby while Alicia resumes clicking endless pictures at anything that moves in the room.
After Alicia changed Will and held him for a long time, Darryl asked if he could hold the baby. Alicia and Veronica propped him up in the lounge chair and placed the infant in his lap carefully as Keith snapped endless photos of Darryl and Will together.
Veronica could see Darryl perk up with sparkling eyes, beaming with pride.
“I’m not the littlest one in the family anymore.” Darryl declares to the room.
“We’re counting on you to teach Will how to con Wallace into driving you places and buying you ice cream. Can you show Will the ropes when he gets bigger?” Logan asks.
Darryl nods enthusiastically and grins. “Oh yeah, Wallace is dead meat.”
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“Mrs. Echolls, I have a few more bouquets of flowers for you.” The same young girl says as she peeks in the door of Veronica’s room.
“Bring them in and put them anywhere.” Logan says quietly.
“Okay, sorry to interrupt, Mr. Echolls.” She says sweetly, drops off three bouquets and leaves the room.
Logan lays his head back down on the bed and watches his son and his wife sleep next to him. He’s lying on his left side with his back against the bed rails, on top of the covers of Veronica’s hospital bed. Veronica is napping on her right side on the other side of the bed while Will sleeps in between his parents.
Geez, how did I get so lucky? Logan’s eyes scan over Veronica’s resting body then Will’s tiny form cuddled in a blanket. Look at my gorgeous wife and my amazing son, both happy and healthy and full of life. He chuckles. Ronnie is a handful sometimes but, shit, if she doesn’t look at me and I freckin’ melt, every fuckin’ time. He looks at his newborn son. And this guy, man, can you get more perfect? I better start practicing my stern dad voice, if he turns out anything like me or Ronnie. Logan shakes his head in disbelief. It’s a good thing we have an in at the Sheriff’s department, we may need it.
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“Hi, Veronica. How are you feeling?” The nurse from Labor and Delivery pops her head in the door of Veronica’s room. “I was just starting my shift and thought I would stop by to see the little one.” Nurse Marcia steps into the room and closer to Veronica, looking closely at Will in his mother’s arms.
Veronica turns her attention from the flowers and cards to the door when she hears Marcia’s voice. “Will is doing fine. I’m doing fine, but I think Daddy is a little worn out.” Veronica nods her head toward Logan sleeping in the lounge chair nearby.
Marcia laughs. “I’m sure he’s wiped out from his evening of snapping pictures and holding your hand, huh?” Marcia and Veronica share a chuckle. “I just wanted to check in on you and make sure everything is going well.” She smiles and lightly touches Will’s cheek with her fingertip. “I better get going or I’ll be late. It was nice to meet you and your husband, Veronica. Good luck with Will in the future.”
“Bye, Marcia. Thanks for stopping by and thanks for all your help last night.” Veronica smiles and waves as the Labor and Delivery nurse walks out of the room.
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“Sugarpuss, did you get more flowers while I was sleeping?” Logan looks over the additional bouquets.
“Yeah, did you see your girlfriend, Heather, sent us the purple ones in the corner?” Veronica says as she changes Will on the bed.
Logan’s eyes go to the purple flowers and reads the card from his preteen gaming friend, Heather Button. ‘Babysitter available--- cheap! Just give me a call. Congratulations! Heather’. He smiles at the thought of his young friend taking care of Will while they get a night out. She needs to ditch the scrawny twerp she’s dating and start practicing Mario Cart instead of offering to babysit. I can still kick her ass all over the place in that stupid game.
He moves to a large yellow and white bouquet and smells the flowers. Nice. Big. Expensive. I bet these are from… Logan opens the card. Yep, I knew it. Don’t hurt yourself, Trina. You might actually have to put some effort into calling me when my son is born, you fuckin’ Princess. He huffs loudly and returns the card to the holder and moves on to the next new arrangement.
‘Congratulations! You better watch out, he’s part Echolls and part Mars?! A brutal combination. Deputy Leo D’Amato’ He’s right about that, Will’s got my movie star looks and Ronnie’s appetite. Logan chuckles to himself.
Logan looks over the next very large arrangement and reads the card in it’s holder. ‘Congratulations Logan! You’re mother would be so proud. Call me! Sandra Wilcox-Horton’
Lynn Echolls’ publicist has kept in touch with Logan since Lynn’s death and she is quickly becoming Logan and Veronica’s publicist, with all the media coverage of they’ve lives in the past few years.
“Honey, did you see these flowers from Sandra Wilcox-Horton? I wonder if something was leaked that she wants me to call her?” Logan thinks out loud. He looks over his shoulder and realizes Veronica is lying on top of her covers, in a deep sleep. Will is lying in her arms.
Logan thinks it’s best not to leave his son in his sleeping wife’s arms, even if it is the cutest thing he’s ever seen in his life and moves Will to the crib then sits in the lounge chair and watches television while his family naps.
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“Everybody decent?” Dick bellows as he storms in the hospital room.
“And if we weren’t?” Veronica asks as she eats a forkful of manicotti.
Dick bounces on his toes and grins, carrying his gift in his arms. “Free show, Baby. Free. Fuckin’. Show.”
Logan rolls his eyes and stands to greet Dick, Mac and Brad.
Dick shoves the huge stuffed bear into Logan’s abdomen when the new father approaches him with a greeting. “Congrats, Dude.”
Logan chuckles at the size of this huge bear. “This bear will fill up Will’s entire crib. Thanks, Man.” He places the bear in the corner of the room near the dresser.
Mac throws a gift bag on the foot of the bed at Veronica’s feet. “An outfit, complete with Converse high-tops and a baseball hat and a pack of diapers.”
“I don’t even get to open it and use my oh-so-surprised expression, Mac?”
“Nope. Nothing exciting there. Just clothes.” Mac drones and finds a seat in a chair nearby.
“You have to guess what this is.” Brad shines as he hands Veronica the small gift certificate envelope, folded to reveal a small sliver of the plastic gift card.
“Oh, I’m not sure, maybe a stuffed bear the size of my car? No? How about a pack of diapers and a cute pair of sneakers?” Veronica teases.
“Not funny.” Mac whines. “I had a very hard time picking out the perfect present for the perfect child of the perfect couple.”
Logan laughs and Veronica scoffs. “Take that back this instant, MacKenzie.”
“There were too many cute things that Will just has to have.” Mac continues. “Wait until the fall. There is a tiny windbreaker jacket that has his name written all over it. It’s so cute with little ducks on the back and tiny rubber boots with…”
Dick’s eyes bulge out of his head in response to what his tom-boy girlfriend is cooing about at Babies R Us. “Oh, Christ.” He mumbles under his breath as Logan and Brad both stare at the girly-baby-loving-female sitting in front of them rambling on about baby animals on the front of this shirt with a matching hat and the frilly, pink aisle lined with dresses.
“STOP!” Veronica drops her fork on to her plate with a loud ‘clank’ from metal hitting hard plastic. “Who are you and what did you do with my friend Mac?” She squints her eyes at her good friend, skeptically. “Is this the Cindy coming out of you, Mac?”
Mac snaps back to reality and blushes. “Sorry. I lost my head there for a minute.”
Dick shakes his head to erase that girly-girl from his mind and stands in the hospital room stunned. What the hell was that? Jesus, one baby and my sexy, smart girlfriend is suddenly a fuckin’ puddle of goo.
As Veronica completes her meal, Brad, Dick and Mac take turns holding Will and visiting with the new parents.
Brad assured his friends his expert baby skills were acquired from countless hours of babysitting his nieces and nephews and, as if on cue, as Brad completed his sentence, Will spit up all over his nicely pressed shirt.
Mac instinctively cuddled the newborn and burped him like a babysitting pro. She reluctantly gave Will to Dick once the group talked Dick into holding the baby. He was so nervous and never paid attention to babies when he was younger so he was sure he was doing everything wrong. After careful instruction from Logan, Dick successfully burped Will after Logan changed the newborn. Dick was not having any part of baby poop.
The three friends were pretty impressed with the swiftness Logan could change a diaper in the short amount of time since becoming a father.
Veronica smiles and laughs, enjoying her friends company in the sterile environment of the hospital as her lower body begins to ache and she slowly slides down on the bed and closes her eyes as her friends and Logan chat around her.
Noticing their sleeping friend in the hospital bed, Brad, Mac and Dick quietly say their goodbyes and leave the room, allowing Veronica to rest.
Logan exits the hospital with his friends. While Veronica and Will sleep, he installs the car seat into the Mercedes-Benz and tells Brad to take the Saturn home, leaving only one of the Echolls’ cars at the hospital instead of two.
He reluctantly runs to the grocery store and looks over all of the feminine hygiene products available. I’m going to fuckin’ kill Veronica. He sighs and his eyes glaze over when he notices some buzz words, like absorbency, wings and dri-weave. Oh my God, Ronnie never told me what she wanted. There’s like a million different kinds. What the hell are wings, anyway? Logan picks up a package of Always thin overnight maxi pads with wings and reads the label more closely. This will work. He glances at the endless shelf of pads and grabs two more packages of maxi pads then hurries to the ten items or less line.
Logan opens his arms and lets the three packs of maxi pads tumble to the conveyor belt as the very cute fifteen or sixteen year old cashier smiles at him. He turns on his movie-star smile, glances at his purchases and blushes scarlet. “These aren’t for me.” He snaps, feeling the need to defend his actions to this cute cashier. Of course, they’re not for you, Asshole. He berates himself and hands the cashier his credit card then runs out of the store, quick to complete his next errand.
He speedily stops at a nearby deli and orders a few sandwiches and takes them back to the hospital room. The speed in which Veronica inhaled her hospital-made manicotti, Logan figures she will probably be famished again in another hour and returns to the room, deli sandwiches in hand, to find his beautiful wife and his amazing son participating in a snoring duet. He stands at the doorway listening to the two different snores, sounding in unison and smiles. All we need is Backup and we’ll have a whole snoring ensemble.
Logan sits and eats his sandwich, enjoying the wonderful sounds of his family sleeping peacefully around him. I am in heaven right now.
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“Hello?” A man’s voice bellows from the door as Dr. Keller, Veronica’s emergency room doctor, steps into her hospital room. “I heard there was a celebrity here and I had to see it for myself.”
Logan stands and greets Dr. Keller with a big grin. “Funny, you don’t seem the type to listen to hospital gossip, Doc.”
Dr. Keller smiles at Veronica. “Listening? Ha! I’m the one spreading the hottest gossip.”
Veronica smiles. “Oh, well then, what’s the hottest news around Neptune General?”
“Well, I have it under good authority that this C-list celebrity brought his wife in to have a baby but…”
Logan scoffs. “C-list celebrity, my ass.”
Dr. Keller continues ignoring Logan. “…as far as I can tell, no one that important has been checked-in the hospital in weeks.” The doctor grins at Logan and winks at Veronica.
Veronica giggles and Will whimpers against her body. “Oh bummer. Well, maybe some high profile Hollywood tart will come through the ER so you can supply the gossip mongers with a little tidbit or two.”
“You two think you’re so funny, don’t you?” Logan mumbles and rolls his eyes.
“So, how’s my favorite pregnant patient?”
“I’m good and not pregnant anymore.” She smiles and nods toward the baby in her arms. “This is Will.”
Dr. Keller steps closer to Veronica and Will and touches Will’s head softly. “He looks happy and healthy, Veronica. I’m so glad things turned out the way they did after your fall. It could have been so much worse.”
Logan lowers his head remembering Veronica’s drugging, resulting in her fall down the entire flight of stairs, in the parking garage at Hearst; her broken wrist and separated shoulder; and Mercer’s attack, all while being only a few months pregnant. “We are very lucky.” Logan agrees with the doctor.
“Yes, you are, Logan. Remember that when he gets his first scraped knee or his first broken bone...” Dr. Keller chuckles and Logan nods.
“…or his first hickey.” Dr. Keller teases with a big grin.
“I’ll kill him.” Veronica says softly.
“I’ll give him a high-five.” Logan laughs.
Dr. Keller laughs with the new parents. “Okay, well Veronica, as always, I’m glad you and Will are okay and I hope I don’t see any of you in the ER ever again.” He shakes Veronica’s hand, touches Will’s head again and shakes Logan’s hand as he leaves. “Good luck.”
“Thanks Doc.” Logan says and Veronica smiles and pulls Will a little bit closer to her body.
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A full day of visitors makes Veronica very sleepy and her body is beginning to remind her that she delivered a baby less than twenty-four hours earlier. She cuddles into the hospital bed and pulls the blankets tight around her neck while Logan feeds Will in the lounge chair a few feet away.
It’s seven in the evening and the thought of sleeping warms her aching body as her eyes slowly slide closed.
Logan changes Will’s tiny diaper on the end of the hospital bed, after feeding and burping his son, when he notices Veronica is asleep again.
He leans in close and whispers to his child as Will wiggles his arms and legs frantically while Logan tries to redress the squirming newborn. “Mommy is very tired. She’s slept most of the afternoon away and she’s asleep again.” Logan wiggles his eyebrows and Will responds with a coo.
Logan weighs his options at this time. I could take Will to the nursery and give Ronnie the time to catch up on her much-needed rest and I could go home or I could climb in her bed with her and the three of us could all go to sleep together. He smirks at his son. “What do you think, Big Guy? Sleep with Mommy and Daddy or sleep in the nursery?”
Will coos and kicks his feet forcefully into the air.
“You don’t want to sleep now?” Logan picks up Will, cuddles the small baby to his chest and instinctively begins to shift his weight from one foot to the other, gently rocking his son.
Almost immediately after Logan begins to rock, he notices Will’s fidgeting stops. He glances at his son’s face and sees he’s fast asleep. “I knew you’d see it my way, Buddy.” Logan chuckles at the short amount of time it took to put Will to sleep.
He carefully slips into the hospital bed, flat on his back, next to Veronica with Will lying atop his chest and gets comfortable.
Veronica snuggles into his side as he wraps his arm around her small body and closes his eyes.
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Logan feels the baby move against his chest and opens his eyes slightly. Night has fallen on Neptune and the only light on in the room is a dim light over Veronica’s bed. Jesus, what time is it? And who turned all the lights out?
Will is beginning to wake up again and Veronica is still nestled into his side, asleep. Oh shit, how to do feed Will without waking up Ronnie?
As if his thoughts were being read by one of the medical monitors, Nurse Renee arrives in the room.
Logan smiles at the nurse. “What time is it?”
“It’s almost eleven, Logan.” Renee says as she checks Veronica’s chart. “Time for Veronica’s Tylenol if she wants it.”
“She’s been sleeping a lot since lunch.” Logan whispers.
Renee nods. “I think her body is trying to tell her to slow down and heal before jumping back into life.” The nurse smiles warmly at Logan and lightly touches the waking baby on his chest. “You guys have been sleeping since about seven-thirty.” She hears Will whimper. “I guess your newest alarm clock is hungry.”
“If you could hand me a bottle, I’ll feed him then get out of your hair for the night.” Logan says as he pats Will’s butt.
Renee hands him a burp rag and a bottle as Logan adjusts Will into a more comfortable position and begins giving him his bottle.
“That’s the beauty of a private room, you’re not in anyone’s hair. You may stay as long as you like or until the patient starts complaining.” Renee chuckles as she looks at Veronica drooling all over Logan’s shirt.
Logan glances at his sleeping wife. “Yeah, she’s really pitching a fit, isn’t she?”
“Well, bring Will into the nursery before you leave, Logan. My shift is about to end so I just wanted to say goodbye and good luck with your son. He’s a beautiful child.”
Logan looks up at the nurse and smiles. “Thanks for all your help. I guess you won’t be in tomorrow?”
“No. No I’ve put in enough time here this week. I have three days off.” She pats Will’s arm gently. “Tomorrow morning is a little How-to class, in the nursery, demonstrating how to give your newborn a bath. I think you and Veronica will get a lot from it. You should try to attend it before you leave.”
“Okay, I’ll mention it. Thanks Renee.”
“Bye.” Renee turns and leaves.
Part 52
Author: christykq
Rating: M for language and innuendos mostly, some sex
Characters/Pairings: LoVe, ensemble
Word Count: 4349
Spoilers: Begins with 3.05 and goes through S3.
Disclaimer: I own nothing in the VM universe, it all belongs to the master RT. I also do not earn a profit from any one of the many brand names named in my story and no copyright infringement is intended.
A/N: Character’s thoughts are italic.
Part 51
VMVMVMVMVMVMVMVMVMVM
[After Season Three]
[1 day postpartum]
“This is it. I’m buying the kid this.” Dick proclaims loudly to Mac’s back as she walks further down the aisle. He tucks the very large, very soft teddy bear under his arm and follows his girlfriend to another aisle in Babies R Us.
“I think I’m going to get him a cute, little outfit-…” Mac stops and picks up an extremely small pair of Converse high-tops. “…with sneakers…” She drops the shoes in the cart. “…and a pack of diapers.” She sees a tiny baseball hat hanging on a hook. “…and a baseball hat.”
“Oh, that’s creative. What? Are you just going to walk around the store and fuckin’ buy everything that’s cute?” Dick mocks while he throws the stuffed bear in the cart.
“Well, you know they’ll use the diapers at least.” Brad pipes in, supporting Mac’s side of the argument. “I think I’m going with the tried and true…” He holds his hands out for a dramatic effect. “…Wait for it…” He looks at Dick and Mac then back to Dick again. “…gift certificate.”
They both moan in response.
“What? And like a pack of diapers or a teddy bear is any better? I think not.” Brad states then stomps toward the cashier.
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“Honey, come on.” Keith looks at his watch. “It’s nine o’clock and I have a grandson to see.” He tugs her hand and hurries down the hospital hallway.
“Keith, the baby isn’t going anywhere. You’ll have plenty of time to love him.” Alicia says, trying to get Darryl to move a little bit quicker, down the hall, before Keith pulls her arm out of it’s socket.
Finally, they arrive at the nurses’ desk in the maternity hall. “Veronica Mars.” Keith exhales.
The nurse at the desk, which happens to be Veronica’s nurse, Renee, laughs. “I think you mean, Veronica Echolls, Sir.”
Keith smacks his forehead with his palm. “You’re right. I’m sorry, I’m a little excited to see my grandchild.” Keith chuckles and takes a deep breath.
“I’m sorry, Sir, but, visiting hours begin at ten o’clock.” Renee states firmly.
“No, please, can’t I just get in to see my grandson?” Keith pleads.
Renee’s face breaks into a smile and she laughs. “I’m sorry. Veronica told me to say that. Visiting hours began six minutes ago and you’re welcome to go to her room. It’s that one right there.” Renee points to the room down the hall from the nurses’ station.
Keith, Darryl and Alicia look where Renee points. Keith nods in appreciation and the trio walks to Veronica’s room.
“Knock, knock.” Keith calls out as he leads Darryl and Alicia into Veronica’s room. Veronica is lying on top of her covers, reading a magazine and Logan is holding Will in his arms, feeding him.
“Hi. Come on in.” Veronica says cheerfully as she tosses her magazine to the nearby table.
“There’s the future Padres second-basemen.” Keith bounces over to Logan, touches Will’s cheek with his thumb and slaps Logan on the upper arm. “Congratulations, Daddy.”
Logan’s smile fills his face. “Thanks, Grandpa.”
Darryl waves hello and sits on the end of Veronica’s bed, watching the excitement quietly.
Veronica acknowledges Darryl with a short hug then gets a huge hug from Alicia.
Alicia releases the new mom from her grasp and holds Veronica’s arms away from her body. “Honey, you look fabulous. How do you feel?”
Veronica shrugs. “Great. No pain at all.”
“Good.” Alicia turns in her spot and examines the infant in Logan’s arms. “He’s beautiful.”
“He takes after me.” Logan jokes.
“Yeah, whatever you say, now hand him over.” Keith holds his hands out for the baby, giving Logan the ‘give ‘em here’ gesture.
“Keith, stand back, I want to get a picture of Daddy and Will first.” Alicia chimes, holding her camera up to her face and snapping a picture. “Then I have presents.” She continues to take multiple pictures of, what seems to everyone else in the room, the same exact photo of Logan and Will.
“No kiss or hug from you, Dad?” Veronica whines.
Keith waves his daughter’s comment away with a swoosh of his hand. “I can hug you anytime.” Veronica scoffs and frowns dramatically but is ignored by the others.
Keith’s patience finally gets the best of him and he shoves past Alicia and her camera and takes Will out of Logan’s hands. “Come to Grandpa, Will.” He cuddles the baby in his arms and shoos Logan out of the lounge chair, settling in his seat with a huge smile on his face as Logan hands him the bottle of formula.
“You can burp him now, since you took him right out of my hands.” Logan grumbles and fist pumps Darryl.
“I have presents.” Alicia announces, digging in her large bag. “For you.” She hands a Veronica an envelope. “For you.” She hands Logan an envelope. “For you.” She hands Darryl an envelope.
Veronica rips her envelope open to reveal two gift certificates for a head-to-toe spa treatment at a local Neptune spa. “Alright. Thank you.”
Logan pulls out a gift certificate for Tripoli, the local Italian restaurant, and a handmade coupon for free babysitting from his envelope. “I guess we get a night out, Honey.” He holds up the pieces of paper.
“And a day at the spa.” She smiles at her husband and he winks in response.
Darryl opens up his envelope and pouts spectacularly. “Mom, that’s not fair.” He holds up two handmade coupons.
Alicia laughs and shrugs. “Well, I didn’t want to leave you out.”
The coupons are obviously for Logan and Veronica. When Darryl holds the paper in the air for everyone to see, the coupons clearly read ‘Free Babysitting’. Everyone except Darryl laughs as he hands his envelope to Logan and rolls his eyes.
“More pictures. Smile Mommy.” Alicia points the camera at Veronica sitting comfortably on her hospital bed, looks through the eyepiece and drops the camera from her face. “Is your jewelry new?” Alicia smiles affectionately at Veronica.
Veronica smiles bright. “Yep. My hubby bought them for me.” She holds out her hand for Alicia’s evaluation. “Did you see my ring and bracelet?”
Alicia examines the fine jewelry and looks at Logan. “My oh my, you must really love your wife, Logan.”
Logan wrinkles his nose. “Nah, the jewelry model was cute.” He shrugs and dodges a bed pillow Veronica launches at his head.
“You’re making the rest of us look bad, Son.” Keith says from his position burping the baby while Alicia resumes clicking endless pictures at anything that moves in the room.
After Alicia changed Will and held him for a long time, Darryl asked if he could hold the baby. Alicia and Veronica propped him up in the lounge chair and placed the infant in his lap carefully as Keith snapped endless photos of Darryl and Will together.
Veronica could see Darryl perk up with sparkling eyes, beaming with pride.
“I’m not the littlest one in the family anymore.” Darryl declares to the room.
“We’re counting on you to teach Will how to con Wallace into driving you places and buying you ice cream. Can you show Will the ropes when he gets bigger?” Logan asks.
Darryl nods enthusiastically and grins. “Oh yeah, Wallace is dead meat.”
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“Mrs. Echolls, I have a few more bouquets of flowers for you.” The same young girl says as she peeks in the door of Veronica’s room.
“Bring them in and put them anywhere.” Logan says quietly.
“Okay, sorry to interrupt, Mr. Echolls.” She says sweetly, drops off three bouquets and leaves the room.
Logan lays his head back down on the bed and watches his son and his wife sleep next to him. He’s lying on his left side with his back against the bed rails, on top of the covers of Veronica’s hospital bed. Veronica is napping on her right side on the other side of the bed while Will sleeps in between his parents.
Geez, how did I get so lucky? Logan’s eyes scan over Veronica’s resting body then Will’s tiny form cuddled in a blanket. Look at my gorgeous wife and my amazing son, both happy and healthy and full of life. He chuckles. Ronnie is a handful sometimes but, shit, if she doesn’t look at me and I freckin’ melt, every fuckin’ time. He looks at his newborn son. And this guy, man, can you get more perfect? I better start practicing my stern dad voice, if he turns out anything like me or Ronnie. Logan shakes his head in disbelief. It’s a good thing we have an in at the Sheriff’s department, we may need it.
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“Hi, Veronica. How are you feeling?” The nurse from Labor and Delivery pops her head in the door of Veronica’s room. “I was just starting my shift and thought I would stop by to see the little one.” Nurse Marcia steps into the room and closer to Veronica, looking closely at Will in his mother’s arms.
Veronica turns her attention from the flowers and cards to the door when she hears Marcia’s voice. “Will is doing fine. I’m doing fine, but I think Daddy is a little worn out.” Veronica nods her head toward Logan sleeping in the lounge chair nearby.
Marcia laughs. “I’m sure he’s wiped out from his evening of snapping pictures and holding your hand, huh?” Marcia and Veronica share a chuckle. “I just wanted to check in on you and make sure everything is going well.” She smiles and lightly touches Will’s cheek with her fingertip. “I better get going or I’ll be late. It was nice to meet you and your husband, Veronica. Good luck with Will in the future.”
“Bye, Marcia. Thanks for stopping by and thanks for all your help last night.” Veronica smiles and waves as the Labor and Delivery nurse walks out of the room.
VMVMVMVMVMVM
“Sugarpuss, did you get more flowers while I was sleeping?” Logan looks over the additional bouquets.
“Yeah, did you see your girlfriend, Heather, sent us the purple ones in the corner?” Veronica says as she changes Will on the bed.
Logan’s eyes go to the purple flowers and reads the card from his preteen gaming friend, Heather Button. ‘Babysitter available--- cheap! Just give me a call. Congratulations! Heather’. He smiles at the thought of his young friend taking care of Will while they get a night out. She needs to ditch the scrawny twerp she’s dating and start practicing Mario Cart instead of offering to babysit. I can still kick her ass all over the place in that stupid game.
He moves to a large yellow and white bouquet and smells the flowers. Nice. Big. Expensive. I bet these are from… Logan opens the card. Yep, I knew it. Don’t hurt yourself, Trina. You might actually have to put some effort into calling me when my son is born, you fuckin’ Princess. He huffs loudly and returns the card to the holder and moves on to the next new arrangement.
‘Congratulations! You better watch out, he’s part Echolls and part Mars?! A brutal combination. Deputy Leo D’Amato’ He’s right about that, Will’s got my movie star looks and Ronnie’s appetite. Logan chuckles to himself.
Logan looks over the next very large arrangement and reads the card in it’s holder. ‘Congratulations Logan! You’re mother would be so proud. Call me! Sandra Wilcox-Horton’
Lynn Echolls’ publicist has kept in touch with Logan since Lynn’s death and she is quickly becoming Logan and Veronica’s publicist, with all the media coverage of they’ve lives in the past few years.
“Honey, did you see these flowers from Sandra Wilcox-Horton? I wonder if something was leaked that she wants me to call her?” Logan thinks out loud. He looks over his shoulder and realizes Veronica is lying on top of her covers, in a deep sleep. Will is lying in her arms.
Logan thinks it’s best not to leave his son in his sleeping wife’s arms, even if it is the cutest thing he’s ever seen in his life and moves Will to the crib then sits in the lounge chair and watches television while his family naps.
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“Everybody decent?” Dick bellows as he storms in the hospital room.
“And if we weren’t?” Veronica asks as she eats a forkful of manicotti.
Dick bounces on his toes and grins, carrying his gift in his arms. “Free show, Baby. Free. Fuckin’. Show.”
Logan rolls his eyes and stands to greet Dick, Mac and Brad.
Dick shoves the huge stuffed bear into Logan’s abdomen when the new father approaches him with a greeting. “Congrats, Dude.”
Logan chuckles at the size of this huge bear. “This bear will fill up Will’s entire crib. Thanks, Man.” He places the bear in the corner of the room near the dresser.
Mac throws a gift bag on the foot of the bed at Veronica’s feet. “An outfit, complete with Converse high-tops and a baseball hat and a pack of diapers.”
“I don’t even get to open it and use my oh-so-surprised expression, Mac?”
“Nope. Nothing exciting there. Just clothes.” Mac drones and finds a seat in a chair nearby.
“You have to guess what this is.” Brad shines as he hands Veronica the small gift certificate envelope, folded to reveal a small sliver of the plastic gift card.
“Oh, I’m not sure, maybe a stuffed bear the size of my car? No? How about a pack of diapers and a cute pair of sneakers?” Veronica teases.
“Not funny.” Mac whines. “I had a very hard time picking out the perfect present for the perfect child of the perfect couple.”
Logan laughs and Veronica scoffs. “Take that back this instant, MacKenzie.”
“There were too many cute things that Will just has to have.” Mac continues. “Wait until the fall. There is a tiny windbreaker jacket that has his name written all over it. It’s so cute with little ducks on the back and tiny rubber boots with…”
Dick’s eyes bulge out of his head in response to what his tom-boy girlfriend is cooing about at Babies R Us. “Oh, Christ.” He mumbles under his breath as Logan and Brad both stare at the girly-baby-loving-female sitting in front of them rambling on about baby animals on the front of this shirt with a matching hat and the frilly, pink aisle lined with dresses.
“STOP!” Veronica drops her fork on to her plate with a loud ‘clank’ from metal hitting hard plastic. “Who are you and what did you do with my friend Mac?” She squints her eyes at her good friend, skeptically. “Is this the Cindy coming out of you, Mac?”
Mac snaps back to reality and blushes. “Sorry. I lost my head there for a minute.”
Dick shakes his head to erase that girly-girl from his mind and stands in the hospital room stunned. What the hell was that? Jesus, one baby and my sexy, smart girlfriend is suddenly a fuckin’ puddle of goo.
As Veronica completes her meal, Brad, Dick and Mac take turns holding Will and visiting with the new parents.
Brad assured his friends his expert baby skills were acquired from countless hours of babysitting his nieces and nephews and, as if on cue, as Brad completed his sentence, Will spit up all over his nicely pressed shirt.
Mac instinctively cuddled the newborn and burped him like a babysitting pro. She reluctantly gave Will to Dick once the group talked Dick into holding the baby. He was so nervous and never paid attention to babies when he was younger so he was sure he was doing everything wrong. After careful instruction from Logan, Dick successfully burped Will after Logan changed the newborn. Dick was not having any part of baby poop.
The three friends were pretty impressed with the swiftness Logan could change a diaper in the short amount of time since becoming a father.
Veronica smiles and laughs, enjoying her friends company in the sterile environment of the hospital as her lower body begins to ache and she slowly slides down on the bed and closes her eyes as her friends and Logan chat around her.
Noticing their sleeping friend in the hospital bed, Brad, Mac and Dick quietly say their goodbyes and leave the room, allowing Veronica to rest.
Logan exits the hospital with his friends. While Veronica and Will sleep, he installs the car seat into the Mercedes-Benz and tells Brad to take the Saturn home, leaving only one of the Echolls’ cars at the hospital instead of two.
He reluctantly runs to the grocery store and looks over all of the feminine hygiene products available. I’m going to fuckin’ kill Veronica. He sighs and his eyes glaze over when he notices some buzz words, like absorbency, wings and dri-weave. Oh my God, Ronnie never told me what she wanted. There’s like a million different kinds. What the hell are wings, anyway? Logan picks up a package of Always thin overnight maxi pads with wings and reads the label more closely. This will work. He glances at the endless shelf of pads and grabs two more packages of maxi pads then hurries to the ten items or less line.
Logan opens his arms and lets the three packs of maxi pads tumble to the conveyor belt as the very cute fifteen or sixteen year old cashier smiles at him. He turns on his movie-star smile, glances at his purchases and blushes scarlet. “These aren’t for me.” He snaps, feeling the need to defend his actions to this cute cashier. Of course, they’re not for you, Asshole. He berates himself and hands the cashier his credit card then runs out of the store, quick to complete his next errand.
He speedily stops at a nearby deli and orders a few sandwiches and takes them back to the hospital room. The speed in which Veronica inhaled her hospital-made manicotti, Logan figures she will probably be famished again in another hour and returns to the room, deli sandwiches in hand, to find his beautiful wife and his amazing son participating in a snoring duet. He stands at the doorway listening to the two different snores, sounding in unison and smiles. All we need is Backup and we’ll have a whole snoring ensemble.
Logan sits and eats his sandwich, enjoying the wonderful sounds of his family sleeping peacefully around him. I am in heaven right now.
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“Hello?” A man’s voice bellows from the door as Dr. Keller, Veronica’s emergency room doctor, steps into her hospital room. “I heard there was a celebrity here and I had to see it for myself.”
Logan stands and greets Dr. Keller with a big grin. “Funny, you don’t seem the type to listen to hospital gossip, Doc.”
Dr. Keller smiles at Veronica. “Listening? Ha! I’m the one spreading the hottest gossip.”
Veronica smiles. “Oh, well then, what’s the hottest news around Neptune General?”
“Well, I have it under good authority that this C-list celebrity brought his wife in to have a baby but…”
Logan scoffs. “C-list celebrity, my ass.”
Dr. Keller continues ignoring Logan. “…as far as I can tell, no one that important has been checked-in the hospital in weeks.” The doctor grins at Logan and winks at Veronica.
Veronica giggles and Will whimpers against her body. “Oh bummer. Well, maybe some high profile Hollywood tart will come through the ER so you can supply the gossip mongers with a little tidbit or two.”
“You two think you’re so funny, don’t you?” Logan mumbles and rolls his eyes.
“So, how’s my favorite pregnant patient?”
“I’m good and not pregnant anymore.” She smiles and nods toward the baby in her arms. “This is Will.”
Dr. Keller steps closer to Veronica and Will and touches Will’s head softly. “He looks happy and healthy, Veronica. I’m so glad things turned out the way they did after your fall. It could have been so much worse.”
Logan lowers his head remembering Veronica’s drugging, resulting in her fall down the entire flight of stairs, in the parking garage at Hearst; her broken wrist and separated shoulder; and Mercer’s attack, all while being only a few months pregnant. “We are very lucky.” Logan agrees with the doctor.
“Yes, you are, Logan. Remember that when he gets his first scraped knee or his first broken bone...” Dr. Keller chuckles and Logan nods.
“…or his first hickey.” Dr. Keller teases with a big grin.
“I’ll kill him.” Veronica says softly.
“I’ll give him a high-five.” Logan laughs.
Dr. Keller laughs with the new parents. “Okay, well Veronica, as always, I’m glad you and Will are okay and I hope I don’t see any of you in the ER ever again.” He shakes Veronica’s hand, touches Will’s head again and shakes Logan’s hand as he leaves. “Good luck.”
“Thanks Doc.” Logan says and Veronica smiles and pulls Will a little bit closer to her body.
VMVMVMVMVMVM
A full day of visitors makes Veronica very sleepy and her body is beginning to remind her that she delivered a baby less than twenty-four hours earlier. She cuddles into the hospital bed and pulls the blankets tight around her neck while Logan feeds Will in the lounge chair a few feet away.
It’s seven in the evening and the thought of sleeping warms her aching body as her eyes slowly slide closed.
Logan changes Will’s tiny diaper on the end of the hospital bed, after feeding and burping his son, when he notices Veronica is asleep again.
He leans in close and whispers to his child as Will wiggles his arms and legs frantically while Logan tries to redress the squirming newborn. “Mommy is very tired. She’s slept most of the afternoon away and she’s asleep again.” Logan wiggles his eyebrows and Will responds with a coo.
Logan weighs his options at this time. I could take Will to the nursery and give Ronnie the time to catch up on her much-needed rest and I could go home or I could climb in her bed with her and the three of us could all go to sleep together. He smirks at his son. “What do you think, Big Guy? Sleep with Mommy and Daddy or sleep in the nursery?”
Will coos and kicks his feet forcefully into the air.
“You don’t want to sleep now?” Logan picks up Will, cuddles the small baby to his chest and instinctively begins to shift his weight from one foot to the other, gently rocking his son.
Almost immediately after Logan begins to rock, he notices Will’s fidgeting stops. He glances at his son’s face and sees he’s fast asleep. “I knew you’d see it my way, Buddy.” Logan chuckles at the short amount of time it took to put Will to sleep.
He carefully slips into the hospital bed, flat on his back, next to Veronica with Will lying atop his chest and gets comfortable.
Veronica snuggles into his side as he wraps his arm around her small body and closes his eyes.
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Logan feels the baby move against his chest and opens his eyes slightly. Night has fallen on Neptune and the only light on in the room is a dim light over Veronica’s bed. Jesus, what time is it? And who turned all the lights out?
Will is beginning to wake up again and Veronica is still nestled into his side, asleep. Oh shit, how to do feed Will without waking up Ronnie?
As if his thoughts were being read by one of the medical monitors, Nurse Renee arrives in the room.
Logan smiles at the nurse. “What time is it?”
“It’s almost eleven, Logan.” Renee says as she checks Veronica’s chart. “Time for Veronica’s Tylenol if she wants it.”
“She’s been sleeping a lot since lunch.” Logan whispers.
Renee nods. “I think her body is trying to tell her to slow down and heal before jumping back into life.” The nurse smiles warmly at Logan and lightly touches the waking baby on his chest. “You guys have been sleeping since about seven-thirty.” She hears Will whimper. “I guess your newest alarm clock is hungry.”
“If you could hand me a bottle, I’ll feed him then get out of your hair for the night.” Logan says as he pats Will’s butt.
Renee hands him a burp rag and a bottle as Logan adjusts Will into a more comfortable position and begins giving him his bottle.
“That’s the beauty of a private room, you’re not in anyone’s hair. You may stay as long as you like or until the patient starts complaining.” Renee chuckles as she looks at Veronica drooling all over Logan’s shirt.
Logan glances at his sleeping wife. “Yeah, she’s really pitching a fit, isn’t she?”
“Well, bring Will into the nursery before you leave, Logan. My shift is about to end so I just wanted to say goodbye and good luck with your son. He’s a beautiful child.”
Logan looks up at the nurse and smiles. “Thanks for all your help. I guess you won’t be in tomorrow?”
“No. No I’ve put in enough time here this week. I have three days off.” She pats Will’s arm gently. “Tomorrow morning is a little How-to class, in the nursery, demonstrating how to give your newborn a bath. I think you and Veronica will get a lot from it. You should try to attend it before you leave.”
“Okay, I’ll mention it. Thanks Renee.”
“Bye.” Renee turns and leaves.
Part 52