Fic: Gangster's Paradise (4/4), Logan/Veronica, PG
Fic: Gangster’s Paradise (4/4)
Author: me :D
Rating: PG
Pairing/Characters: Logan/Veronica, Keith, Duncan, Dick, Cassidy, mentions of Lilly, Jake and Leanna
Word Count:
Summary: Veronica is a working girl in the 1930s and when she meets a supposed gangster her life is turned upside down.
Spoilers; None, its AU
Disclaimer: I am very sad to admit that I don’t own Veronica Mars cause I would not have let it play out the way it had. So please don’t sue me, this is just a little bit of fun.
A/N: So this is it. It’s taken me far too long to finish this fic and for that I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Words can’t describe how sorry I am. However here’s the ending. It’s over and done. I plan to stop agonising over it and just post it. There are a few people who need to be mention though. thegraduate09 who beta’d the first chapter and offered to beta all four of them before life got in the way. Thank you for taking the time to do that. To metchick01 who is amazing and beta’d the second chapter for me and has been a friend and beta for a long time now :D Thank you for everything you do for me :D This started off as a reply to a comment_fic prompt left by love_is_epic and the first part was entered in a round of vmfic_gameon. This has been a fic that spanned three years of my life and I thank everyone who stood by me during this fic :D
I think that’s it. I hope you like this and that it lives up to expectations :D I hope you leave a comment too and thank you for taking me this journey with me :D
Part One Part Two Part Three
Slamming her bedroom door she hoped to block out her father’s voice. Every day after work she tried to stay away from the house for as long as possible, to avoid a conversation with her father. It wasn’t that she didn’t love him, he had just destroyed the relationship she had with one of the most amazing men she had ever met. If she wasn’t able to stay away from the house she stopped by the shops, grabbed a quick dinner that could be eaten in her room and then proceeded to ignore everything he said as she stormed past him and into her room.
She did miss her conversations with him though. He had the ability to always make her feel better no matter what. If nothing else she really wanted him to make her feel better at the moment. She might have let him had he not been the person to cause her heartache. And ache her heart did.
Sometimes it felt like it was being ripped out of her chest. That it would stop beating at any minute and give her the peace she needed to deal with it. However it just kept bleeding and she had no one to consul her and help her through her heartache. Sometimes it made her wish that her mom was still around. That she had some way to be around the other woman and let her sage words wash over her.
Sighing she figured that would never happen.
Dropping her bag onto the desk she collapsed into her chair tugging her food from its bag. It was a little painful to live like this but it didn’t matter. She wasn’t ready to face her father and even if she was she didn’t want to face him. She just needed some advice from her mom.
Sighing again she pulled open the top desk draw for the knife and fork she had stashed there her hands grazed an envelope. Pulling it out she gasped. She couldn’t believe that she had forgotten about that. Still she didn’t have the courage to open it alone.
She’d have to go to the one person that she didn’t really want to see.
******LoVe******
Sitting down on the steps Veronica waited. She didn’t want to be here but when she had tried to open the letter by herself. As sad as it made her to be back here she knew without a doubt that he was the only person who could give her the courage to open it. It was time for answers. She just hoped Logan would keep his promise. After all he had loved her, hadn’t he? Sighing Veronica shook her head, she wasn’t sure that was true. How could he walk away if he loved her? She would never understand what his rationale was.
Glancing up she was surprised to see that Logan was standing a few metres away, mouth opened wide in shock when he saw her.
Standing she whispered, “Hi.”
“Hey,” he whispered in response, “How are you?”
“Look I’m not here to make chit chat. I’m here to see if you’ll keep a promise you made me once.”
Raising an eyebrow Logan asked, “And what promise would that be?”
“That when I was ready to open the letter my mom left, you’d help me do it.” Veronica replied, “Cause I’m ready now. I just can’t seem to do it myself.”
Nodding Logan said, “Come inside, we can do this together.”
Shaking her head Veronica sat back down on the step before whispering, “I don’t want to come inside. I don’t want to be reminded of what we once had in there. I’d rather we do it here.”
“Ok,” Logan agreed sitting down next to her. Seeing that he was waiting for her to open it she sighed and turned the envelope over. Taking a deep breath she went to put her finger through the seal she shook her head and moved the envelope so that it was between her and Logan.
“I can’t open it,” she whispered, “Can you do it for me?”
Nodding Logan took the envelope, pulling the seal free and gently taking the piece of paper out from inside. “Do you want me to read it?”
Closing her eyes Veronica nodded she wasn’t sure if she could do it or not, she didn’t care that it seemed to be the cowardly way. She had been waiting years to find out something from her mother and now here it was, the only words her mother would ever say to her. While it felt like the cowards way it was the only way she could know those words. And she felt like she really needed to know them.
Listening as Logan cleared his throat she kept her eyes closed and just listened to the words.
“To my dearest Veronica,
I pray, as I always will do, that you are safe and you are loved. I know that you may never understand this but I gave you up for a reason.
When I was twenty two I discovered that my fiancé was a gangster of the highest order, so deeply entrenched in the system that it was impossible for him to get out. This was a man I had known since I was a child. I couldn’t believe that I didn’t know this about him. I had to leave. There was one man I knew would help me. I had met him several months before at a bar and we had engaged in an activity I would always regret. That man was your father in every sense of the word except the one that mattered. Keith Mars is an amazing man but when I went to him for help I was three months pregnant but I had slept with him five before.
You are biologically Jake Kane’s and I am sorry to pain you with this knowledge. However to truly accept Keith you must know the truth. That also involves me telling you why I left you behind.
It broke my heart to do so. A month after you were born Jake arrived on my doorstep. He was so mad that I had left and he demanded that I return home at once. I was able to convince him that I needed to pack up my belongings. He gave a week. He was being generous and I knew that. I had the place packed up in a day and was on the road with you. I had this funny feeling that he had used his gang ties to find me and while I knew I could never leave, I could keep you safe.
I drove for two days straight and when I finally returned to Neptune I headed straight to Keith. I knew that if I could not keep you than he would be the only person I would want to be looking after you. He was resistant at first, thinking we could find another way to be rid of Jake but I knew in my heart that I could never let go of Jake. He was the love of my life. I couldn’t subject you to that, my darling daughter, but I knew I would never be able to resist returning to him. When I told Keith this he asked me to write this letter so that I could explain this to you myself and hope that one day we can meet again. I made him promise to keep you safe from everything that could hurt you, especially gangsters, and he agreed.
I will always love you and a part me will always yearn for my little girl, I hope this helps you understand.
Love,
Your mother ”
Sighing Veronica ran a hand over her face and through her hair before opening her eyes. She couldn’t believe that her mother had willingly returned to be with Jake after everything she knew. Of course the realisation that she wasn’t a Mars hurt but she always knew in her heart that Keith was her father. He had chosen to take her in, to raise her, he had put up with boys and high school and her desire to work. He deserved the right to be her father in her mind.
“Well that explains a lot,” Logan whispered, folding the paper up and placing it back in the envelope.
“How do you mean?”
“Your father doesn’t like me because he thinks I’m a gangster and he promised your mother he would keep you safe from gangsters.” Logan replied with a shrug before handing the envelope back to her.
Standing Veronica shrugged, “It doesn’t change anything Logan. You still walked away from me.”
“That doesn’t change the way I feel about you.”
“Well it doesn’t change the way I feel about you either but it doesn’t mean I’m going back.” Veronica sighed, “If you feel half of what I feel for you then you wouldn’t have been able to walk away. It doesn’t matter now. I’m going to go.”
“Veronica!” Logan called, standing as she walked a few paces away, “I’ll always be there for you if you need me.”
“Maybe it’s time I start to learn to live without you again,” Veronica replied before leaving quickly, praying Logan wouldn’t call out to her again.
****LoVe****
Sighing Duncan knew that he had to do it. He had to make Veronica happy again. It wasn’t fair but he couldn’t deal if she spent the rest of her life unhappy. It was what needed to happen. He needed the idea, the fake realisation, that he could be forgiven. He was tired of her being sad constantly. She was a shell of the person that he had fallen in love with and he didn’t want that for her anymore. It wasn’t that his feelings had changed; he had just accepted that Veronica wasn’t going to feel the way that he did.
Noticing Veronica head for her office he stood slowly. He took his time getting to her office, saying hello to the staff on the floor, picking up a pen and delivering a cup of coffee. When he finally made it there Veronica was sitting at her desk, her head resting on the wood.
Knocking quietly he smiled when she raised her head, “Hi. Can I come in?”
Veronica shrugged, “Sure, but I can’t promise that I’ll be the best company.”
“That’s fine. I kind of bring bad news.”
“What bad news?” Veronica asked, raising her eyebrow at him.
Closing the door Duncan took the moment to compose himself. Sitting in the chair opposite her he said, “I’m the reason you and Logan broke up.”
“I’m pretty sure Logan is the reason we broke up.”
“You don’t understand,” Duncan whispered, “I’m the one who told your father that Logan was a gangster.”
Veronica sighed, lowering her head to the table again before muttering against it, “It doesn’t matter.”
“Why not?”
Veronica raised her head slightly, so her chin was resting upon the desk instead, “If Logan really wanted to be with me he would be with me. It’s that simple. My dad shouldn’t have done what he did, and neither should you, but at the end of the day it doesn’t matter.”
“I’m sure he does love you.”
Veronica shrugged, “He said he did but obviously that wasn’t enough. Thank you for telling me though. I’m glad you were honest.”
Duncan reached across the desk, squeezing her shoulder, “I’m sorry for what I did.”
“I get it,” Veronica replied with a smiled, “But there is no need to get fresh with me,” she continued, playfully shoving his hand off her.
Duncan stood, shrugging, “At least you’re smiling again.”
“Let’s see how long it lasts.”
*****LoVe*****
Keith felt a little nervous doing this. He wasn’t sure if it would accomplish what he wanted it to. For all he knew the boy could laugh in his face and refuse him the request. Still he had to try. He hated the fractured relationship he had with his daughter at the moment but it was his fault. The only way he was going to get her back was by doing this. He had to put aside all of his thoughts about the kid and let him be with his daughter. All the rumours would have to remain that. Rumours. He would stop believing them; start thinking in a new way. Logan wasn’t a gangster. He was just a man who loved his daughter and happened to keep unfortunate friends. He would have to live and threaten the real gangsters to within an inch of their lives if they ever involved his daughter or Logan in their shady dealings.
Waving as Logan entered the café he tried to put on the most unthreatening smile that he could. He knew this was defiantly going to be hard. But he could swallow his pride for his daughter’s happiness. At least he hoped he could.
Sliding into the booth across from him Logan asked, “Why am I here? Are you planning to kill me? Cause this is a little too public for that.”
“I don’t plan to kill you,” Keith sighed.
“Then why am I here?”
“Have you seen Veronica since you split with her?”
Logan nodded, “Once. She needed my help and I promised I would help when we were dating. I couldn’t back out.”
“I’m glad you’re a man of your word.”
“And yet you won’t let me keep up with anymore of them.”
Keith shrugged, leaning forward on the table, “What would those promises be?”
“To look after her: to love her forever, and, most importantly, to keep her by my side for the rest of my life.”
“You really love her don’t you?”
“Yes. I really do.”
Keith nodded, “Well you have my blessing.”
Choking on some of his spit Logan coughed for a moment before asking, “What?”
“You love her. I love her. It’s time for me to let go of the past and let her go.”
“I don’t understand. You’re saying I can be with her now.”
Keith nodded, “Yes. As long as you protect her from harm and swear on your mother’s life you aren’t a gangster.”
“I swear. I’ll swear it until the day I die. I’m not a gangster.”
“Ok. Then there’s only one thing left. You have to promise to keep her out of your friend’s house. They are gangsters. I know that. I’m not saying you have to stop being friends with them just stop taking her there.”
“I promise.”
“Then go and get her.”
****LoVe****
Logan walked into the Neptune Navigator on a mission. He had never been a coward before and he wasn’t about to become one now. He also wasn’t going to let the window of opportunity that Mr Mars had opened for him. Spotting Veronica staring at the ground as Duncan tried to run his hands all over her, he stopped. Gathering everything he knew he would need to talk to her he walked over and pushed Duncan gently away so that he was standing front of her.
Running a hand along her check he tilted her head up so that she was looking at him, “Hey.”
Veronica sighed, “Hey.”
Noting the absence of emotion from her usually sparkling eyes, Logan whispered, “I’d ask how you are but I think I can figure it out on my own.”
Crossing her arms Veronica replied, “Yeah, how would you know?”
“‘Cause I think it’s the same way I’ve been feeling.”
“You know the difference though. I’m not the one who decided to leave,” Veronica scoffed before turning away to head to the sanctuary of her office.
Watching as she left Logan called out, “I got scared, ok. I got scared and I didn’t know how to handle it. I never expected to feel this way about you and with your dad not wanting you to see me anymore...”
“So, why do you care now? Why is now so different to two weeks ago?” Veronica cried finally feeling her emotions starting to crackle through.
“For starters, your dad has given me his blessing.”
“That’s it! I had to go through all this pain and heartache so that you could get my dad’s blessing,” Veronica seethed before picking up the closest object to her and throwing it at him. “I was willing to be with you two weeks ago and now you want to.”
“Yes and ‘cause I’ve finally forgiven myself for Lilly’s murder. I’ve been in pain too Veronica. Love isn’t supposed to work like this. It’s supposed to take years not weeks. Don’t you understand? There are great reasons why I did what I thought was right but guess what. I wasn’t. I’m just asking for a second chance.”
“Well you can’t have it. I can’t survive pain like this again. I won’t.
Logan nodded, “Well you won’t have too.”
“Who says you won’t change your mind next week, or next month or even tomorrow and then I’m left here all by myself. In agonising pain.”
“I won’t change my mind, that I promise you,” Logan said walking towards her. Picking up her left hand he slid down to one knee. “Veronica Alison Mars, will you marry me?”
Veronica drew in a deep breath and looked over his head at Duncan. When she had really needed someone he had been there. A constant, steady feature, willing to pick up the pieces that Logan had created then left behind. He had helped her to function again and she would be jobless if it weren’t for him but that wasn’t enough of a reason for her to be with him. He had been a friend and that was all that Veronica felt. The man before her though possessed a rare talent: the ability to smash her heart to pieces. Not many people had done that and if she was really honest he was the one who had done it the worst. She constantly yearned for him and he was never far from her mind, even after all this time. She knew there was a chance that she would always love him but she wasn’t sure if that would be enough.
Pulling her hand away she turned her back and walked a few paces before saying, “I don’t know.”
Logan scoffed, “This isn’t an ‘I don’t know’ question it’s a yes or no and I think you know which one you want to give me.”
Veronica sighed, “I do know but I can’t give you that answer. I’m strong Logan but I don’t think I’m strong enough to survive us twice, especially if we imploded in a marriage.”
“Veronica, I love you. I love you so much that sometimes I swear it physically hurts but I won’t give up on us a second time, especially if it means I could have you.”
“And maybe that makes you stronger than me or stupider, who knows?”
“I know. I know it makes me smarter because we are epic. We are lives ruined and bloodshed and we’ll span years and continents but none of that will matter cause we’ll be together.”
“Who says a relationship is supposed to be that hard?”
Stepping forward Logan ran a hand down her check, “No one writes songs about the easy ones,” he whispered before kissing her. Pulling back slightly he looked over her messed up hair and puffy lips, happy to find that she was smiling and that she was no doubt the most beautiful girl in the room. “So what do you say?”
Knowing her resistance was blown Veronica made a noise, somewhere between a cry and a sigh, before whispering, “Can we just have it easy from now on?”
“We can sure as hell try,” Logan replied, a grin erupting from his lips as he pulled a ring out of his pocket and slide it onto the right finger. Kissing her again he couldn’t help but feel at home.
The End.
Author: me :D
Rating: PG
Pairing/Characters: Logan/Veronica, Keith, Duncan, Dick, Cassidy, mentions of Lilly, Jake and Leanna
Word Count:
Summary: Veronica is a working girl in the 1930s and when she meets a supposed gangster her life is turned upside down.
Spoilers; None, its AU
Disclaimer: I am very sad to admit that I don’t own Veronica Mars cause I would not have let it play out the way it had. So please don’t sue me, this is just a little bit of fun.
A/N: So this is it. It’s taken me far too long to finish this fic and for that I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Words can’t describe how sorry I am. However here’s the ending. It’s over and done. I plan to stop agonising over it and just post it. There are a few people who need to be mention though. thegraduate09 who beta’d the first chapter and offered to beta all four of them before life got in the way. Thank you for taking the time to do that. To metchick01 who is amazing and beta’d the second chapter for me and has been a friend and beta for a long time now :D Thank you for everything you do for me :D This started off as a reply to a comment_fic prompt left by love_is_epic and the first part was entered in a round of vmfic_gameon. This has been a fic that spanned three years of my life and I thank everyone who stood by me during this fic :D
I think that’s it. I hope you like this and that it lives up to expectations :D I hope you leave a comment too and thank you for taking me this journey with me :D
Part One Part Two Part Three
Slamming her bedroom door she hoped to block out her father’s voice. Every day after work she tried to stay away from the house for as long as possible, to avoid a conversation with her father. It wasn’t that she didn’t love him, he had just destroyed the relationship she had with one of the most amazing men she had ever met. If she wasn’t able to stay away from the house she stopped by the shops, grabbed a quick dinner that could be eaten in her room and then proceeded to ignore everything he said as she stormed past him and into her room.
She did miss her conversations with him though. He had the ability to always make her feel better no matter what. If nothing else she really wanted him to make her feel better at the moment. She might have let him had he not been the person to cause her heartache. And ache her heart did.
Sometimes it felt like it was being ripped out of her chest. That it would stop beating at any minute and give her the peace she needed to deal with it. However it just kept bleeding and she had no one to consul her and help her through her heartache. Sometimes it made her wish that her mom was still around. That she had some way to be around the other woman and let her sage words wash over her.
Sighing she figured that would never happen.
Dropping her bag onto the desk she collapsed into her chair tugging her food from its bag. It was a little painful to live like this but it didn’t matter. She wasn’t ready to face her father and even if she was she didn’t want to face him. She just needed some advice from her mom.
Sighing again she pulled open the top desk draw for the knife and fork she had stashed there her hands grazed an envelope. Pulling it out she gasped. She couldn’t believe that she had forgotten about that. Still she didn’t have the courage to open it alone.
She’d have to go to the one person that she didn’t really want to see.
******LoVe******
Sitting down on the steps Veronica waited. She didn’t want to be here but when she had tried to open the letter by herself. As sad as it made her to be back here she knew without a doubt that he was the only person who could give her the courage to open it. It was time for answers. She just hoped Logan would keep his promise. After all he had loved her, hadn’t he? Sighing Veronica shook her head, she wasn’t sure that was true. How could he walk away if he loved her? She would never understand what his rationale was.
Glancing up she was surprised to see that Logan was standing a few metres away, mouth opened wide in shock when he saw her.
Standing she whispered, “Hi.”
“Hey,” he whispered in response, “How are you?”
“Look I’m not here to make chit chat. I’m here to see if you’ll keep a promise you made me once.”
Raising an eyebrow Logan asked, “And what promise would that be?”
“That when I was ready to open the letter my mom left, you’d help me do it.” Veronica replied, “Cause I’m ready now. I just can’t seem to do it myself.”
Nodding Logan said, “Come inside, we can do this together.”
Shaking her head Veronica sat back down on the step before whispering, “I don’t want to come inside. I don’t want to be reminded of what we once had in there. I’d rather we do it here.”
“Ok,” Logan agreed sitting down next to her. Seeing that he was waiting for her to open it she sighed and turned the envelope over. Taking a deep breath she went to put her finger through the seal she shook her head and moved the envelope so that it was between her and Logan.
“I can’t open it,” she whispered, “Can you do it for me?”
Nodding Logan took the envelope, pulling the seal free and gently taking the piece of paper out from inside. “Do you want me to read it?”
Closing her eyes Veronica nodded she wasn’t sure if she could do it or not, she didn’t care that it seemed to be the cowardly way. She had been waiting years to find out something from her mother and now here it was, the only words her mother would ever say to her. While it felt like the cowards way it was the only way she could know those words. And she felt like she really needed to know them.
Listening as Logan cleared his throat she kept her eyes closed and just listened to the words.
“To my dearest Veronica,
I pray, as I always will do, that you are safe and you are loved. I know that you may never understand this but I gave you up for a reason.
When I was twenty two I discovered that my fiancé was a gangster of the highest order, so deeply entrenched in the system that it was impossible for him to get out. This was a man I had known since I was a child. I couldn’t believe that I didn’t know this about him. I had to leave. There was one man I knew would help me. I had met him several months before at a bar and we had engaged in an activity I would always regret. That man was your father in every sense of the word except the one that mattered. Keith Mars is an amazing man but when I went to him for help I was three months pregnant but I had slept with him five before.
You are biologically Jake Kane’s and I am sorry to pain you with this knowledge. However to truly accept Keith you must know the truth. That also involves me telling you why I left you behind.
It broke my heart to do so. A month after you were born Jake arrived on my doorstep. He was so mad that I had left and he demanded that I return home at once. I was able to convince him that I needed to pack up my belongings. He gave a week. He was being generous and I knew that. I had the place packed up in a day and was on the road with you. I had this funny feeling that he had used his gang ties to find me and while I knew I could never leave, I could keep you safe.
I drove for two days straight and when I finally returned to Neptune I headed straight to Keith. I knew that if I could not keep you than he would be the only person I would want to be looking after you. He was resistant at first, thinking we could find another way to be rid of Jake but I knew in my heart that I could never let go of Jake. He was the love of my life. I couldn’t subject you to that, my darling daughter, but I knew I would never be able to resist returning to him. When I told Keith this he asked me to write this letter so that I could explain this to you myself and hope that one day we can meet again. I made him promise to keep you safe from everything that could hurt you, especially gangsters, and he agreed.
I will always love you and a part me will always yearn for my little girl, I hope this helps you understand.
Love,
Your mother ”
Sighing Veronica ran a hand over her face and through her hair before opening her eyes. She couldn’t believe that her mother had willingly returned to be with Jake after everything she knew. Of course the realisation that she wasn’t a Mars hurt but she always knew in her heart that Keith was her father. He had chosen to take her in, to raise her, he had put up with boys and high school and her desire to work. He deserved the right to be her father in her mind.
“Well that explains a lot,” Logan whispered, folding the paper up and placing it back in the envelope.
“How do you mean?”
“Your father doesn’t like me because he thinks I’m a gangster and he promised your mother he would keep you safe from gangsters.” Logan replied with a shrug before handing the envelope back to her.
Standing Veronica shrugged, “It doesn’t change anything Logan. You still walked away from me.”
“That doesn’t change the way I feel about you.”
“Well it doesn’t change the way I feel about you either but it doesn’t mean I’m going back.” Veronica sighed, “If you feel half of what I feel for you then you wouldn’t have been able to walk away. It doesn’t matter now. I’m going to go.”
“Veronica!” Logan called, standing as she walked a few paces away, “I’ll always be there for you if you need me.”
“Maybe it’s time I start to learn to live without you again,” Veronica replied before leaving quickly, praying Logan wouldn’t call out to her again.
****LoVe****
Sighing Duncan knew that he had to do it. He had to make Veronica happy again. It wasn’t fair but he couldn’t deal if she spent the rest of her life unhappy. It was what needed to happen. He needed the idea, the fake realisation, that he could be forgiven. He was tired of her being sad constantly. She was a shell of the person that he had fallen in love with and he didn’t want that for her anymore. It wasn’t that his feelings had changed; he had just accepted that Veronica wasn’t going to feel the way that he did.
Noticing Veronica head for her office he stood slowly. He took his time getting to her office, saying hello to the staff on the floor, picking up a pen and delivering a cup of coffee. When he finally made it there Veronica was sitting at her desk, her head resting on the wood.
Knocking quietly he smiled when she raised her head, “Hi. Can I come in?”
Veronica shrugged, “Sure, but I can’t promise that I’ll be the best company.”
“That’s fine. I kind of bring bad news.”
“What bad news?” Veronica asked, raising her eyebrow at him.
Closing the door Duncan took the moment to compose himself. Sitting in the chair opposite her he said, “I’m the reason you and Logan broke up.”
“I’m pretty sure Logan is the reason we broke up.”
“You don’t understand,” Duncan whispered, “I’m the one who told your father that Logan was a gangster.”
Veronica sighed, lowering her head to the table again before muttering against it, “It doesn’t matter.”
“Why not?”
Veronica raised her head slightly, so her chin was resting upon the desk instead, “If Logan really wanted to be with me he would be with me. It’s that simple. My dad shouldn’t have done what he did, and neither should you, but at the end of the day it doesn’t matter.”
“I’m sure he does love you.”
Veronica shrugged, “He said he did but obviously that wasn’t enough. Thank you for telling me though. I’m glad you were honest.”
Duncan reached across the desk, squeezing her shoulder, “I’m sorry for what I did.”
“I get it,” Veronica replied with a smiled, “But there is no need to get fresh with me,” she continued, playfully shoving his hand off her.
Duncan stood, shrugging, “At least you’re smiling again.”
“Let’s see how long it lasts.”
*****LoVe*****
Keith felt a little nervous doing this. He wasn’t sure if it would accomplish what he wanted it to. For all he knew the boy could laugh in his face and refuse him the request. Still he had to try. He hated the fractured relationship he had with his daughter at the moment but it was his fault. The only way he was going to get her back was by doing this. He had to put aside all of his thoughts about the kid and let him be with his daughter. All the rumours would have to remain that. Rumours. He would stop believing them; start thinking in a new way. Logan wasn’t a gangster. He was just a man who loved his daughter and happened to keep unfortunate friends. He would have to live and threaten the real gangsters to within an inch of their lives if they ever involved his daughter or Logan in their shady dealings.
Waving as Logan entered the café he tried to put on the most unthreatening smile that he could. He knew this was defiantly going to be hard. But he could swallow his pride for his daughter’s happiness. At least he hoped he could.
Sliding into the booth across from him Logan asked, “Why am I here? Are you planning to kill me? Cause this is a little too public for that.”
“I don’t plan to kill you,” Keith sighed.
“Then why am I here?”
“Have you seen Veronica since you split with her?”
Logan nodded, “Once. She needed my help and I promised I would help when we were dating. I couldn’t back out.”
“I’m glad you’re a man of your word.”
“And yet you won’t let me keep up with anymore of them.”
Keith shrugged, leaning forward on the table, “What would those promises be?”
“To look after her: to love her forever, and, most importantly, to keep her by my side for the rest of my life.”
“You really love her don’t you?”
“Yes. I really do.”
Keith nodded, “Well you have my blessing.”
Choking on some of his spit Logan coughed for a moment before asking, “What?”
“You love her. I love her. It’s time for me to let go of the past and let her go.”
“I don’t understand. You’re saying I can be with her now.”
Keith nodded, “Yes. As long as you protect her from harm and swear on your mother’s life you aren’t a gangster.”
“I swear. I’ll swear it until the day I die. I’m not a gangster.”
“Ok. Then there’s only one thing left. You have to promise to keep her out of your friend’s house. They are gangsters. I know that. I’m not saying you have to stop being friends with them just stop taking her there.”
“I promise.”
“Then go and get her.”
****LoVe****
Logan walked into the Neptune Navigator on a mission. He had never been a coward before and he wasn’t about to become one now. He also wasn’t going to let the window of opportunity that Mr Mars had opened for him. Spotting Veronica staring at the ground as Duncan tried to run his hands all over her, he stopped. Gathering everything he knew he would need to talk to her he walked over and pushed Duncan gently away so that he was standing front of her.
Running a hand along her check he tilted her head up so that she was looking at him, “Hey.”
Veronica sighed, “Hey.”
Noting the absence of emotion from her usually sparkling eyes, Logan whispered, “I’d ask how you are but I think I can figure it out on my own.”
Crossing her arms Veronica replied, “Yeah, how would you know?”
“‘Cause I think it’s the same way I’ve been feeling.”
“You know the difference though. I’m not the one who decided to leave,” Veronica scoffed before turning away to head to the sanctuary of her office.
Watching as she left Logan called out, “I got scared, ok. I got scared and I didn’t know how to handle it. I never expected to feel this way about you and with your dad not wanting you to see me anymore...”
“So, why do you care now? Why is now so different to two weeks ago?” Veronica cried finally feeling her emotions starting to crackle through.
“For starters, your dad has given me his blessing.”
“That’s it! I had to go through all this pain and heartache so that you could get my dad’s blessing,” Veronica seethed before picking up the closest object to her and throwing it at him. “I was willing to be with you two weeks ago and now you want to.”
“Yes and ‘cause I’ve finally forgiven myself for Lilly’s murder. I’ve been in pain too Veronica. Love isn’t supposed to work like this. It’s supposed to take years not weeks. Don’t you understand? There are great reasons why I did what I thought was right but guess what. I wasn’t. I’m just asking for a second chance.”
“Well you can’t have it. I can’t survive pain like this again. I won’t.
Logan nodded, “Well you won’t have too.”
“Who says you won’t change your mind next week, or next month or even tomorrow and then I’m left here all by myself. In agonising pain.”
“I won’t change my mind, that I promise you,” Logan said walking towards her. Picking up her left hand he slid down to one knee. “Veronica Alison Mars, will you marry me?”
Veronica drew in a deep breath and looked over his head at Duncan. When she had really needed someone he had been there. A constant, steady feature, willing to pick up the pieces that Logan had created then left behind. He had helped her to function again and she would be jobless if it weren’t for him but that wasn’t enough of a reason for her to be with him. He had been a friend and that was all that Veronica felt. The man before her though possessed a rare talent: the ability to smash her heart to pieces. Not many people had done that and if she was really honest he was the one who had done it the worst. She constantly yearned for him and he was never far from her mind, even after all this time. She knew there was a chance that she would always love him but she wasn’t sure if that would be enough.
Pulling her hand away she turned her back and walked a few paces before saying, “I don’t know.”
Logan scoffed, “This isn’t an ‘I don’t know’ question it’s a yes or no and I think you know which one you want to give me.”
Veronica sighed, “I do know but I can’t give you that answer. I’m strong Logan but I don’t think I’m strong enough to survive us twice, especially if we imploded in a marriage.”
“Veronica, I love you. I love you so much that sometimes I swear it physically hurts but I won’t give up on us a second time, especially if it means I could have you.”
“And maybe that makes you stronger than me or stupider, who knows?”
“I know. I know it makes me smarter because we are epic. We are lives ruined and bloodshed and we’ll span years and continents but none of that will matter cause we’ll be together.”
“Who says a relationship is supposed to be that hard?”
Stepping forward Logan ran a hand down her check, “No one writes songs about the easy ones,” he whispered before kissing her. Pulling back slightly he looked over her messed up hair and puffy lips, happy to find that she was smiling and that she was no doubt the most beautiful girl in the room. “So what do you say?”
Knowing her resistance was blown Veronica made a noise, somewhere between a cry and a sigh, before whispering, “Can we just have it easy from now on?”
“We can sure as hell try,” Logan replied, a grin erupting from his lips as he pulled a ring out of his pocket and slide it onto the right finger. Kissing her again he couldn’t help but feel at home.
The End.