Kings Among Runaway - Chapter Thirteen (Veronica/Logan) PG-13
Title: Kings Among Runaways
Author: Tina
Word Count: 3,600 for this chapter
Rating: PG-13 to R
Characters: Logan / Veronica
Summary: Pre-series. Even if Lilly had lived, things still would’ve been screwy.
Spoilers / Warnings: Set pre-season, but references to first season are fair game.
AN: I'm always running late. Sorry.
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Chapter Thirteen
“So you’re going?” Wallace asked, pulling her to the side of the hallway as she headed out for lunch.
“Yes,” Veronica told him, for what seemed like the hundredth time. “Just like it has been yes every time you’ve hijacked me today.”
“Well, the fifteen texts you sent me last night were a bit of a mixed signal,” he told her. “I’m just trying to straighten out your stories.”
“Well, last night I worked it out,” she explained, keeping her voice both neutral and incredibly quiet. She didn’t want Neptune’s gossip mill getting wind of this before she had a chance to inform Logan. And she wasn’t informing Logan until well after it was over. “I just need to go and end things, once and for all. That’s always been the problem for me and Duncan. We’ve never had closure.”
“I heard about that party, Veronica.” At least Wallace had taken her cue and dropped his voice, Veronica noted with relief. “And then he showed up at your house threatening Logan? It doesn’t sound like he’s going to be willing to just talk it out and let you go. He’s not stable.”
“I can take care of myself, Wallace,” she told him. “I swear, my police officer father has made sure of that. And I have you on speed dial for backup.”
“And if you’re not close enough to get him with the taser before you can call me?” Veronica’s eyes widened at his remarkably apt knowledge of her defenses. “Oh, don’t look so shocked. It may be pink, but I was not fooled. He’s going to know it’s there, too, Veronica.”
“So what do you want me to do, Wallace?” Veronica’s voice, though still quiet, rose in irritation. Thankfully, most people had filtered out of the hallway by then. “I can’t just ignore him forever, and I need to tell him that this can’t keep happening. He needs to know that I’m not going back, or he’s never going to stop.” Veronica noticed a group of Lilly’s new friends coming in from the quad and pulled Wallace around a quieter corner. “What if I just call you before I go inside?” Without any consideration, the words left her mouth before she could stop them. “You can be on the phone with me the whole time I’m there.”
“What?” Wallace looked as shocked by her idea as she was. “I know you’re all over invading everyone else’s privacy, but you’re really going to just let me listen to everything you have to say to your ex?”
Veronica rolled her eyes. “I’m breaking up with him. I’m not inviting you into any juicy little rendezvous. I just thought that would eliminate your worry about me not getting to the phone in time.”
Wallace considered that. “Well… I still don’t like this,” he finally told her. “I just want that on the record for future reference. But if you’re convinced you’ve got to do this… enunciate.”
. . .
“Are you trying to steal my girlfriend, Fennel?” Logan asked, pulling Veronica down beside him when they finally appeared in the quad.
Wallace turned away from their PDA, rolling his eyes. “Trust me, I’m just about the only one who has no interest in getting anywhere between the two of you.” Wallace pulled the pizza box across the table, then scanned the quad for the rest of the basketball team. Veronica caught him before he’d swallowed his first bite.
“Our second reunion lunch, and you’re already looking for our replacements?” she chided. “That is cold, Wallace.”
“Oh, you quit sucking face long enough to notice?” Wallace feigned shock. “I wasn’t aware this was a trio activity, and even if it were, this is a devil’s trio and I will have no part in it.” He stacked another piece of pizza, wrapped it in a napkin, and turned to go.
“Amen,” Logan agreed, grunting at the elbow that Veronica jabbed into his side.
“Fine, if we bore you so much, I’ll just see you after school then.” Wallace nodded, not entirely pleased with the fact that he was Veronica’s alibi, but sufficiently cornered.
“Yeah, I’m parked in the faculty lot. I was running late this morning.”
“Wasting your warning so early in the year?” Logan chastised. “Rookie mistake.”
Wallace shrugged. “Hey, somebody’s got to make ‘em.” He snatched another piece of pizza, and headed for the opposite side of the quad.
“Dine and ditch,” Veronica muttered. “That’s cold and rude.”
“You’re the one who had to cut him down off the damn pole.”
. . .
“If you can hear me, count to five and say yes.”
Veronica pulled her phone out of her bag in time to hear Wallace mutter, “four, five. Yes.”
“The counting to five would have been sufficient in your head,” she teased.
“You’re going to tease me before putting your life in my hands?” Wallace countered.
“I hardly think my life is at risk,” Veronica told him.
“Oh yeah?” Wallace asked. “Let me give your boyfriend a call right now and see how reacts to this meeting.”
“That’s more your life and Duncan’s that you’re risking,” Veronica told him.
“And you can bet your ass that when your boyfriend kills me, my ghost will walk you right off the same cliff.”
“Understood,” Veronica said. “I now look like a creeper hanging out the Kane driveway, though, so you’re going back in the purse. Keep your mouth closed and avoid background noise. In fact, put me on mute.”
“I don’t know what your fancy phones do, but hand over the speaker will work just fine. I can be there in less than a minute if you need me, so don’t scream unnecessarily, because I am coming at the first sign of danger.”
“You know, sometimes I’m pretty glad I cut you off that pole.”
“Yeah, sometimes I am too.”
Veronica shoved the phone back into her bag, carefully pointing the microphone up, then made her way to the door. The housekeeper, a woman she hadn’t met before, let her in and informed her that Duncan was waiting for her in his room.
Veronica already didn’t like the way this meeting was going.
She heard faint car engines as soon as she reached the second story, so she wasn’t surprised to find Duncan sitting on the floor at the foot of his bed, Xbox remote in hand. He paused the game as soon as she toed his door open, quickly standing and gesturing for her to come in. Veronica shuffled awkwardly for a moment.
“I thought maybe we’d be in the living room,” Veronica told him, one step into his room.
“Mom’s having some party here this weekend,” Duncan told her. “We’re basically not allowed anywhere downstairs. Besides, it’s not like you haven’t spent plenty of time in my room before.”
His gentle flirtation fell flat, and Veronica eyed her toes rather than looking at Duncan. “Yeah, it’s fine. What did you want to talk about, Duncan?” As though she didn’t know, but Veronica felt like Duncan would hedge reality all afternoon if she didn’t push him.
“I want you back, Veronica.” He took a step toward her and Veronica edged sideways. “I love you, and I always have. I know you love me, too.”
Veronica shook her head. “I loved you,” she countered. “I used to, and I don’t know if I ever would have stopped, but I don’t anymore. You’re not the same anymore, and… honestly, Duncan, neither am I. I can’t just go back and pretend like things haven’t changed.”
“I was stupid, Veronica. I was stupid, and I was so scared my mom was right. I didn’t know what else to do. I didn’t think I could be with you.”
“You loved me so much that you just walked away? You loved me so much that you just had to run off and fool around with half the class as soon as I realized what you were doing? You loved me so much that you couldn’t even tell me why you disappeared? You didn’t even break up with me!”
“I couldn’t!” He stepped toward her again, and when she dodged him, Veronica saw a spark light in his eyes. It made her tense. “I couldn’t just go and tell you… that. It was disgusting, and… damn it, I didn’t want it to be true!”
“But putting your tongue down that freshman’s throat,” Veronica deadpanned, “god, that must’ve made it all better.”
Duncan had her shoulders before she realized what he was doing. His eyes were dark, and his grip was tighter than she would have expected. “It wasn’t like that.”
Veronica’s tone was just as low and serious. “Duncan, let go of me.”
“You don’t love him.” His voice held no room for question, and his fingers tightened on her biceps. “You can’t love him.”
“Duncan.” Veronica’s voice came out louder this time, and her hands came up to try to dislodge his. “Duncan, let me go. I’m not going to talk to you like this.”
“Tell me you don’t love him,” he insisted. “Tell me that you’ll never love him.”
“I’m with Logan,” Veronica shouted, twisting in Duncan’s grip. “I’m with him, and I don’t want you! Let me go, damn it!”
With a sudden burst, he tossed Veronica back onto his bed, and her bag crashed to the floor with the movement. In the time it took her to blink, Duncan was on top of her, pinning her down in a way that made her blood run cold. “You’re just trash,” he told her, his hips pressing her into the mattress. “You’re just like all of his other girls. Just trash.”
Veronica managed to free her hand just long enough to slap him fiercely across the cheek, but then he pinned her hands above her head, the ferocity of his grip nearly cutting off her circulation.
“He won’t want you chaste and sweet, Veronica,” Duncan told her in dark, disgusting tones. “Is that where this new Veronica came from? Are you dark and dirty now for him?”
Veronica pinched her eyes closed, but before Duncan could act on his words, the bedroom door flew open. “Well, this does not look consensual,” Wallace deadpanned. “Get off her, man, and I won’t call her dad.”
“Who the fuck are you?” Wallace’s appearance distracted Duncan from his forceful hold just long enough for Veronica to bring her knee up for a solid blow between his legs. Immediately, he crumbled to the bed, and Veronica grabbed her bag and pulled Wallace from the room without another word. They hadn’t even made it to the staircase when Lilly appeared in the doorway to her room, a dark smirk on her face.
“He just misses you so much, Veronica,” Lilly called, her voice a merciless mockery. “And you come by to tease him and leave him like that?” Lilly shook her head. “That’s just not right.” She stepped out into the hallway, closing the distance between them. With two fingers, she reached out and toyed with the ends of Veronica’s long blonde locks. “You really do just think you can be me, don’t you, Vee?” She tsked, shaking her head slowly. “V Mars, you were my little prodigy. But they’ll both always be my boys.”
. . .
Split for length...