Witness Protection (2/?)
Title: Witness Protection (2/?)
Author: Heather Perl
Pairing/Character: Logan/Veronica
Word Count: This chapter: 1463. Total so far: 2140
Rating: PG-13 this chapter. Later, there will be NC-17 interludes that are entirely optional.
Summary: Futurefic. After her graduation from Hearst, Veronica testified against Liam Fitzpatrick and was placed in Witness Protection. So what happens when Logan shows up at her door, risking both of their lives?
Spoilers: Entire series, just to be safe
Warnings: Nothing they wouldn't put on TV
Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of Veronica Mars. No copyright infringement is intended.
Previous chapters
Witness Protection
Chapter Two
“Logan,” Veronica said quietly, crouching down to shake him awake. “Logan, wake up. You can't be here.”
He groaned and turned toward her, his eyes still closed. Veronica gasped. He'd been badly beaten. Not even the PCHers had worked him over to this extent.
“Logan,” she whispered, even quieter, her eyes brimming with tears. She was afraid to touch him for fear of aggravating one of his many injuries. “Please, wake up.” When all she got was another groan, she said, “That's it. I'm taking you to the hospital.”
“No!” Logan said, his voice pained, but strong. Then, softer, “No, Ronnie. No hospitals.”
Some of her tears spilled out of her eyes at his use of her nickname. She should have corrected him, told him her new name was Emily Belmont, and that he should get used to using it until he was kicked out of her life again. But she couldn't bring herself to do it.
“Logan, you need a doctor. If your face looks that bad, I can only imagine what they did to the rest of you.”
“So am I not,” he coughed, “pretty anymore?” When his comment failed to elicit a laugh, he went on to say, “I've made it two days without a doctor. Don't need one now.”
“Yes, you do. Come on, I'll help you up.”
“No!” he said again. “If I go to the hospital, they'll find me. They'll find you.”
Veronica froze. “The...the Fitzpatricks did this to you?”
Logan nodded slowly, as if every movement pained him. Veronica glanced around quickly, then said, “We need to get inside. Right now.”
With her help, Logan managed to get up and through her door. She steered him to the couch and sat him down, then went to retrieve her groceries. After she put away the perishables, more as a way of calming herself than because she actually cared about the possibility of spoiled food, she grabbed her first aid kit and went to tend to her ex.
He was laying on the couch when she got back to him. Okay, now for the awkward portion of this evening. “Logan, we have to get your shirt off so I can see how much damage was done.” She wasn't too worried about his legs. If there'd been a lot wrong there, he never would have been able to negotiate the stairs.
“You're saying my name a lot,” Logan observed as he sat up slowly.
“Yeah, well,” Veronica said, climbing up on the couch behind him to help get his jacket off, “maybe I'm just having a little trouble believing you're here. Saying your name makes it more real. Speaking of, what are you doing here?”
“You didn't say goodbye,” Logan answered with a pained noise as he extracted one, then the other arm from his jacket.
“They didn't give me time,” she replied quietly. “Okay, shirt off.” Luckily, Logan was wearing a buttoned shirt, so he wouldn't have to lift his arms. She went around the front of him and started unbuttoning.
“Any other circumstances, I'd find this erotic,” Logan chuckled, then winced. “You must think I'm really pathetic. Here I am, with more money than god, a college degree, and every reason to just...move on. But I still end up passed out at your door.”
“Trust me, Logan. The farthest thing from my mind is the idea of you being pathetic. I'm more into wondering how the hell you found me.”
“I have,” he repeated slowly, “more money...than god. I finally got everything dear old dad left me when I graduated.”
Veronica couldn't help her sharp intake of breath when she finally got his shirt off. His entire upper body was a mass of bruises. She only had one icepack, but she quickly retrieved it and laid it on a particularly nasty-looking bruise on his right side. He winced, but moved his hand to hold it in place.
“You think anything's broken?” Veronica asked.
“Don't think so. Didn't hear anything snap. Just bruised. And the cuts.” Logan chose this moment to lay back down on the couch. “I'll be fine. In a few days.”
Veronica shook her head. “At least let me get some antiseptic on those cuts.”
“Not if it involves me sitting up again,” Logan replied, his stubborn streak magnified by the alcohol in his system. He wasn't drunk...but he wasn't exactly sober either.
She rolled her eyes, grabbed the tube of Neosporin, and lifted his head before sitting on the couch and laying his head in her lap. His only cuts were on his face. She guessed the guy, or guys, were wearing rings when they punched him, but they hadn't been sharp enough to penetrate his clothes. His face, however, had been vulnerable.
As she dabbed Neosporin on his cuts, his eyes drifted closed in either relief or relaxation, she didn't know. She continued their previous conversation. “So, you bribed someone to find me?”
“I bribed nine someones to find you. And then hired four P.I.s.” Logan opened his eyes and gazed into Veronica's. “You're a difficult person to find, Veronica Mars.”
Her name falling from his lips was what finally undid her. She started crying. “I'm sorry, Logan. I wanted to call you every day, but I didn't want to endanger you. They're watching you more than Wallace, and my dad at least knows which precautions to take. But I just wanted to protect you from...well, this.”
Logan lifted a hand and put it to her cheek, wiping away a tear with his thumb. “Don't you get it, Veronica? It's my job to protect you.”
She shook her head. “This is my fault, Logan. This happened because of me.”
He smiled. “Risks of an epic love, Ronnie. Years, ruined lives, bloodshed. Now if only I had to chase you to another continent, we'd be officially epic.”
Why can't I stop crying? “So now you remember that conversation?”
“Bits and pieces of that night eventually started to come clear. That was one of them.”
“So...” Veronica paused and bit her lip. “You still want me?”
“I've wanted you every second since our first kiss. Pathetic, huh?”
She shook her head again, tears still dripping from her eyelashes. “Only because we can't. I'm in Witness Protection for a reason, Logan. They...the Fitzpatricks...find you here, and we're both dead. We're safer apart. It kills me, but...remember what you said about a survivable amount of pain now, instead of an unbearable pain later? I think this is like that. Except instead of unbearable pain, it would actually be death.”
“No. It was stupid. I was stupid,” Logan said, shaking his head in a way that told Veronica that he knew exactly what he'd said, and when and why he'd said it. “I'll go into Witness Protection with you. Or I could still just take you away from all this. We could disappear. Together.”
Veronica took a deep, shuddering breath as her hand brushed his hair back from his forehead, where she placed a kiss. “We'll talk about this in the morning, when you're sober. Tonight, we need to get you up, because you're taking the bed. This couch is not gonna help your bruises any. Come on,” she said, moving her leg a little to get him to lift his head.
With a noise of utmost dissatisfaction, Logan sat up, and with her help, walked into her bedroom. He crawled into her bed like there was no place more natural for him to be, and when Veronica started to walk out, he protested.
“Don't leave!” he said, his voice panicked. “Don't leave me again, Ronnie, please don't leave me again. Please, I just want to be near you.”
Veronica had never had much willpower when it came to Logan begging for anything, least of all her presence. She sighed, then changed into her pajamas. She didn't bother leaving the room to do so. She had nothing Logan hadn't seen. In the morning, she would get the full story on his encounter with the Fitzpatricks, and maybe an update on her friends. Then, as soon as he was healed enough to travel again, she'd send him on his way, as much as it would hurt to do so.
But tonight, she couldn't leave him alone, not with that desperate, panicked note in his voice. She slipped under the sheets and Logan, despite the pain it probably caused him, moved closer to her and threw an arm over her. After a moment, she snuggled closer to him, as close as she could be without her body being completely flush with his.
And for the first time in months, Veronica Mars closed her eyes and slept peacefully.
Next
Author: Heather Perl
Pairing/Character: Logan/Veronica
Word Count: This chapter: 1463. Total so far: 2140
Rating: PG-13 this chapter. Later, there will be NC-17 interludes that are entirely optional.
Summary: Futurefic. After her graduation from Hearst, Veronica testified against Liam Fitzpatrick and was placed in Witness Protection. So what happens when Logan shows up at her door, risking both of their lives?
Spoilers: Entire series, just to be safe
Warnings: Nothing they wouldn't put on TV
Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of Veronica Mars. No copyright infringement is intended.
Previous chapters
Witness Protection
Chapter Two
“Logan,” Veronica said quietly, crouching down to shake him awake. “Logan, wake up. You can't be here.”
He groaned and turned toward her, his eyes still closed. Veronica gasped. He'd been badly beaten. Not even the PCHers had worked him over to this extent.
“Logan,” she whispered, even quieter, her eyes brimming with tears. She was afraid to touch him for fear of aggravating one of his many injuries. “Please, wake up.” When all she got was another groan, she said, “That's it. I'm taking you to the hospital.”
“No!” Logan said, his voice pained, but strong. Then, softer, “No, Ronnie. No hospitals.”
Some of her tears spilled out of her eyes at his use of her nickname. She should have corrected him, told him her new name was Emily Belmont, and that he should get used to using it until he was kicked out of her life again. But she couldn't bring herself to do it.
“Logan, you need a doctor. If your face looks that bad, I can only imagine what they did to the rest of you.”
“So am I not,” he coughed, “pretty anymore?” When his comment failed to elicit a laugh, he went on to say, “I've made it two days without a doctor. Don't need one now.”
“Yes, you do. Come on, I'll help you up.”
“No!” he said again. “If I go to the hospital, they'll find me. They'll find you.”
Veronica froze. “The...the Fitzpatricks did this to you?”
Logan nodded slowly, as if every movement pained him. Veronica glanced around quickly, then said, “We need to get inside. Right now.”
With her help, Logan managed to get up and through her door. She steered him to the couch and sat him down, then went to retrieve her groceries. After she put away the perishables, more as a way of calming herself than because she actually cared about the possibility of spoiled food, she grabbed her first aid kit and went to tend to her ex.
He was laying on the couch when she got back to him. Okay, now for the awkward portion of this evening. “Logan, we have to get your shirt off so I can see how much damage was done.” She wasn't too worried about his legs. If there'd been a lot wrong there, he never would have been able to negotiate the stairs.
“You're saying my name a lot,” Logan observed as he sat up slowly.
“Yeah, well,” Veronica said, climbing up on the couch behind him to help get his jacket off, “maybe I'm just having a little trouble believing you're here. Saying your name makes it more real. Speaking of, what are you doing here?”
“You didn't say goodbye,” Logan answered with a pained noise as he extracted one, then the other arm from his jacket.
“They didn't give me time,” she replied quietly. “Okay, shirt off.” Luckily, Logan was wearing a buttoned shirt, so he wouldn't have to lift his arms. She went around the front of him and started unbuttoning.
“Any other circumstances, I'd find this erotic,” Logan chuckled, then winced. “You must think I'm really pathetic. Here I am, with more money than god, a college degree, and every reason to just...move on. But I still end up passed out at your door.”
“Trust me, Logan. The farthest thing from my mind is the idea of you being pathetic. I'm more into wondering how the hell you found me.”
“I have,” he repeated slowly, “more money...than god. I finally got everything dear old dad left me when I graduated.”
Veronica couldn't help her sharp intake of breath when she finally got his shirt off. His entire upper body was a mass of bruises. She only had one icepack, but she quickly retrieved it and laid it on a particularly nasty-looking bruise on his right side. He winced, but moved his hand to hold it in place.
“You think anything's broken?” Veronica asked.
“Don't think so. Didn't hear anything snap. Just bruised. And the cuts.” Logan chose this moment to lay back down on the couch. “I'll be fine. In a few days.”
Veronica shook her head. “At least let me get some antiseptic on those cuts.”
“Not if it involves me sitting up again,” Logan replied, his stubborn streak magnified by the alcohol in his system. He wasn't drunk...but he wasn't exactly sober either.
She rolled her eyes, grabbed the tube of Neosporin, and lifted his head before sitting on the couch and laying his head in her lap. His only cuts were on his face. She guessed the guy, or guys, were wearing rings when they punched him, but they hadn't been sharp enough to penetrate his clothes. His face, however, had been vulnerable.
As she dabbed Neosporin on his cuts, his eyes drifted closed in either relief or relaxation, she didn't know. She continued their previous conversation. “So, you bribed someone to find me?”
“I bribed nine someones to find you. And then hired four P.I.s.” Logan opened his eyes and gazed into Veronica's. “You're a difficult person to find, Veronica Mars.”
Her name falling from his lips was what finally undid her. She started crying. “I'm sorry, Logan. I wanted to call you every day, but I didn't want to endanger you. They're watching you more than Wallace, and my dad at least knows which precautions to take. But I just wanted to protect you from...well, this.”
Logan lifted a hand and put it to her cheek, wiping away a tear with his thumb. “Don't you get it, Veronica? It's my job to protect you.”
She shook her head. “This is my fault, Logan. This happened because of me.”
He smiled. “Risks of an epic love, Ronnie. Years, ruined lives, bloodshed. Now if only I had to chase you to another continent, we'd be officially epic.”
Why can't I stop crying? “So now you remember that conversation?”
“Bits and pieces of that night eventually started to come clear. That was one of them.”
“So...” Veronica paused and bit her lip. “You still want me?”
“I've wanted you every second since our first kiss. Pathetic, huh?”
She shook her head again, tears still dripping from her eyelashes. “Only because we can't. I'm in Witness Protection for a reason, Logan. They...the Fitzpatricks...find you here, and we're both dead. We're safer apart. It kills me, but...remember what you said about a survivable amount of pain now, instead of an unbearable pain later? I think this is like that. Except instead of unbearable pain, it would actually be death.”
“No. It was stupid. I was stupid,” Logan said, shaking his head in a way that told Veronica that he knew exactly what he'd said, and when and why he'd said it. “I'll go into Witness Protection with you. Or I could still just take you away from all this. We could disappear. Together.”
Veronica took a deep, shuddering breath as her hand brushed his hair back from his forehead, where she placed a kiss. “We'll talk about this in the morning, when you're sober. Tonight, we need to get you up, because you're taking the bed. This couch is not gonna help your bruises any. Come on,” she said, moving her leg a little to get him to lift his head.
With a noise of utmost dissatisfaction, Logan sat up, and with her help, walked into her bedroom. He crawled into her bed like there was no place more natural for him to be, and when Veronica started to walk out, he protested.
“Don't leave!” he said, his voice panicked. “Don't leave me again, Ronnie, please don't leave me again. Please, I just want to be near you.”
Veronica had never had much willpower when it came to Logan begging for anything, least of all her presence. She sighed, then changed into her pajamas. She didn't bother leaving the room to do so. She had nothing Logan hadn't seen. In the morning, she would get the full story on his encounter with the Fitzpatricks, and maybe an update on her friends. Then, as soon as he was healed enough to travel again, she'd send him on his way, as much as it would hurt to do so.
But tonight, she couldn't leave him alone, not with that desperate, panicked note in his voice. She slipped under the sheets and Logan, despite the pain it probably caused him, moved closer to her and threw an arm over her. After a moment, she snuggled closer to him, as close as she could be without her body being completely flush with his.
And for the first time in months, Veronica Mars closed her eyes and slept peacefully.
Next