Fic: Some Truths Hurt (V/Logan, all) R [24of ?]
Title: Some Truths Hurt
Author: jenwin23
Pairing/Character: all, LoVe
Word Count: 17,671
Rating: R
Spoilers: Season 1
Warnings: Slight violence, cussing, discussions about rape and possible incest.
This story so far recaplet: Cannon up until Echolls Family Christmas. Veronica copied Duncan’s laptop hard drive to get his journal. Connor and Veronica were dating for awhile, until she and Logan finally managed to work through their issues enough to get together. Veronica took a paternity test and is a Mars, Duncan wants to date her again, awkwardness ensues. LoVe investigates the rape and the truth is revealed (but is it the whole truth?). Lynn tried to commit suicide but Logan found her and got her to the hospital in time. Veronica is at Logan’s side, but he breaks up with her convinced that she would be better off away from him. Logan’s friends have a surprising response to the breakup, and stand by Veronica until LoVe gets back together. Lynn disappears and Logan asks V to find her, they track her to a rehab facility in Santa Barbara and have sex, but all is not well between them. Logan’s grandma is in town and tells him about his trust funds. Logan has been trying to win a second chance from Veronica, but she holds out until she admits she loves him and wants to be together. Unable to just say it she acts out at a party until Logan throws her over his shoulder and kidnaps her until they work through their issues. Meg has a secret admirer, Mac is going strong with Enbom, and Casey has hooked up with the new girl, Nadia. Caitlyn and Madison had a sex tape of Logan until V conspired with Logan’s friends to get it back.
I’m jumping around again, this time skipping Weapons of Mass Destruction to get to Hot Dogs, but I won’t have the Duncan or Weevil bits here (I don’t think). We’re also have more Ruskie Business.
Chapter 24
(Wednesday)
Echolls’ kitchen, morning. A chirpy Trina, with plate in hand, bears down on Logan, standing and looking at his books on one of the kitchen counters.
Trina: Good morning, bro.
She holds out the plate.
Trina: Pop tart?
Logan: (smiles) Hm, a tart from a tart.
Logan takes a bite.
Trina: He of the sickle wit. Can I ask you something?
Logan, still chewing, uses his thumb and forefinger to pretend to take something from his now closed mouth.
Logan: Hmm. Will you look at that? There was a string attached to my pop tart.
He tosses the imaginary string over his shoulder.
Trina: Yeah, well, I'm in a little bit of a jam. I could use a loan.
Logan: And you thought the best place to go was to your teenage brother?
Trina: I know you have money Logan. That trust fund Mom set up.
Logan: Ah yes. The one I don’t get until I turn 18.
Trina: Yeah, so that was a few months ago.
Logan: Um, no. I’m still 17 Trin. If I was 18, do you think I’d still be here?
Trina: So what about Dad’s money?
Logan: Why don’t you ask him yourself? (faking surprise raising his hand to his mouth) Oh, you already did, didn’t you? (sad mocking pout) He said no? Aww.
Trina: You know I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.
Logan: Oh, I do. I do.
Trina: Could I just borrow…ten grand, just for a little while.
Logan: (incredulous) Ten grand?
Trina: Will you just hear me out, please? My boyfriend Dylan spotted me some cash a few months ago and…now he's bugging me about it. I-I can't get him off my back.
Logan: (smirking and extremely pleased with himself) Did you try standing up?
Trina: (sarcastically) Thanks. Knew I could count on you.
Trina stalks off.
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At school, Veronica and Mac are sitting by the coy pond. They watch as Dick pulls into the lot and climbs out of his truck. He looks devilished and tired.
Mac: Looks like Dick had a hard night.
Veronica: (taking in his pale face and dark circles under his eyes) Looks like.
Mac: Everything set for today?
Veronica: Yep. Got recruits for each period, and wouldn’t you know it but Felix’s cousin is the maid at the Casablancas house. She’s went in early this morning and will be working tonight.
Mac: And fortune smiles on the devious once again.
Logan walks up to the girls and kisses Veronica’s cheek.
Logan: Humm, sounds like someone is up to no good.
Mac: Hi Logan.
Veronica: I don’t know what you mean honeybunches.
Logan: Careful Sugarpuss.
He kisses Veronica again, this time a peck on the mouth, before turning to Mac.
Logan: We have a strict no lying policy.
Mac: (puzzled) Then how do you speak to each other?
All three smile.
Dick walks past them looking distracted. Logan stops him.
Logan: Hey Dick. (concerned) You feeling better today?
Dick: I dunno man. I just dunno.
Veronica: Did you eat breakfast?
Dick’s eyes travel to Veronica face then drop down her body lingering over the small curves of her breasts for a moment until he jumps backwards.
Dick: Fuck.
Logan: Dude. You ok?
Mac: Maybe you should see the nurse.
Dick’s eyes go to Mac noticing that her eyes are a pretty blue for the first time and he pauses as if expecting something, then smiles when it doesn’t come.
Dick: Yeah. Yeah, maybe I will. Thanks.
Enbom walks up and takes Mac’s hand pulling her into the school. Veronica and Logan follow behind with Dick. When Dick’s eyes drop to Mac’s small bottom, shown nicely in blue corduroy pants he jumps again.
Dick: (muttering under his breath) I was not looking at Ghostworld. I was looking at, at, something else.
He jumps again and his eyes skitter over Logan to Veronica before he closes them tightly.
Logan: Seriously man. You’re freaking me out. What’s going on?
Dick raises his hand to cover his eyes.
Dick: I told you, nothing. I’m fine.
He walks away from them towards English with his hand still over his eyes. Rams and Chester walk up to Veronica and Logan, looking after Dick with amused worry.
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First period English. Veronica keeps her face in a smooth, bland expression allowing the smallest amount of concern to show as Dick twitches when Meg walks in wearing her cheerleading skirt and top.
Dick: Dude, I’m just a guy, I can’t not look.
Veronica looks at him and leans closer. Dick shies away and won’t look at her.
Veronica: Who are you talking to Dick?
Dick: Nobody.
Towards the end of class Mrs. Murphy bends over to pick up the chalk she just dropped and Dick jerks up in his desk standing up abruptly and pulling off his clothes.
Dick: I was not looking at her, you’re just punking me.
The whole class turns to stare flabbergasted as Dick gets down to his boxers and is about to push them down. Veronica covers her face in horror. Dick continues and stands with his pants and boxers pushed down around his ankles and the rest of him bare to the world.
Mrs. Murphy: (sternly) Mr. Casablancas.
Dick turns to face her.
Dick: You don’t understand I keep feeling this zap, or tingly feeling…
The class giggles, some looking at him fully, others looking away.
Mrs. Murphy: (sternly) Put your clothes back on and please report to Vice Principal Clemmons office.
Dick hesitates.
Mrs. Murphy: (strident) Now, Mr. Casablancas.
Dick pulls his pants back up and pats Veronica on the head.
Dick: Sorry Ronnie. Didn’t mean to give you the whole monty.
He leaves the classroom and Veronica’s giggles break free. Meg looks stunned then looks at Veronica who is now bent over in laughter and narrows her eyes.
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Veronica rounds a corner by a heart shaped wall decoration promoting the dance. She stops, surprised. Meg, wearing her cheerleader gear, is enjoying the scent of a rather stunning bouquet sticking out of her locker.
Veronica: Secret admirer strikes again and the plot thickens.
Meg holds up a card that says GO!, with a grin.
Meg: He wants me to go to the dance.
Veronica grabs the card.
Meg: I’m dying to know who it is.
Veronica examines one of the flowers.
Veronica: Purple faced monkey orchid. Native to the King Leopold range in the Australian outback. My deduction? (with dramatic mystery) Your secret admirer is an aboriginal tribesman…
Meg: (laughing) Uh-huh.
Veronica: …who shops… (she holds up the card)...at Manny’s Flower Hut.
Veronica pockets the card and gets out her cell, lining up to take a picture.
Meg: Uh-huh. What are you doing?
Veronica: In the detective business, we call this a clue.
Mac walks up with a smile.
Mac: So I heard Dick got naked in your first period class.
Veronica: Yes he did.
Meg: (hands on hips, eyes narrowed) Alright, that’s it. What did you two do to him?
Mac and Veronica share identical looks of puzzled innocence. Meg is not impressed.
Meg: He could get in serious trouble for this.
Veronica shrugs.
Veronica: Payback is a bitch Meg you said it yourself.
Mac: And Dick has many years worth of it coming his way.
Dick had never been kind to the 02er kids in their school and had bullied and ridiculed them for years at will. Mac had been one of his favored targets in 6th grade when she had the misfortune of sitting behind him in class.
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Scene opens on hundreds of students milling around in the school parking lot. A loud ringing noise sounds continuously in the background. Logan is standing with Duncan leaning on the Xterra.
Rams: Logan. Man, have you seen Dick today? I think we might need to have an intervention or whatever. He’s gone loco.
Logan and Duncan turn to see where Rams is watching Dick berate Brian (mini Dick from Madison’s birthday party) about pushing Beaver earlier. When Brian rolls his eyes and then turns to look at a nearby girl’s ass, Dick grabs his chin and forces him to look him in the face as he lectures some more.
Veronica and Wallace are standing a short distance away.
Wallace: Man what is up with these fire alarms? Second one this week.
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At lunch Dick continues to twitch and jerk looking around wildly and talking to himself.
Veronica: (to Wallace) What happened with Clemmons?
Wallace: Clemmons thinks Dick needs psychiatric help, he’s scheduled an appointment with Mrs. James for tomorrow and with his Dad for after that.
Logan: I think we’d all support Dick getting a little help. He shoved Rams into a group of girls and ran the other way earlier. And that was after he slapped Chester for staring at Jasmine. Told him to be more respectful.
Mac: Really?
Meg: Humm. I wonder what could be going on with him?
She looks at Veronica, who again looks a bit too innocent. Logan catches the interaction and narrows his eyes on Veronica.
Logan: Sugarpuss, do you have anything to say?
Veronica: No.
Logan: Nothing? You don’t know anything about what’s gotten into Dick?
She stares at him, then slowly smiles her eyes gleaming with joy, but doesn’t answer.
Logan: Veronica.
Veronica: How would I know what’s wrong? He’s your friend.
Logan: That’s not an answer.
She shrugs.
Veronica: So, therapy could really help Dick.
Mac: Who knows? This whole experience could make him into a better person.
Logan: Will he still be Dick or will he be some poor bastard in a straight jacket by the time you’re done?
Veronica: Well, that’s up to him really.
Both Wallace and Meg look amused as Veronica confirmed their suspicions that she was responsible for Dick’s odd behavior. Logan looks amused, exasperated and a bit afraid for his friend.
Mac: He seems to be learning.
Veronica: Surprisingly.
Her face takes on a slightly confused, conflicted expression.
Veronica: He actually apologized to me yesterday.
Logan: For locking you in the closet?
Veronica: (smiles) and everything else.
Logan rubs her back before kissing her temple. He lowers his mouth to her ear.
Logan: Try to be a bit nice, huh? He’s my friend. And he helped me with the Madison thing.
With his arm still rubbing her back he can feel the shiver run through her body as his lips brush her ear. They’d hardly done more than kiss chastely since Monday after school and when she turned her head to face him, their mouths only separated by inches his eyes caressed her lips before looking up to see her pupils were slightly dilated with desire. Logan smiled a slow, sexy smile his eyes never leaving hers as he lightly brushes his lips over hers, once then twice before settling in as her eyes close. He nibbles lightly on her lips his hand moving from her back to circle around her waist pulling her closer to him.
The sound of gagging noises cuts into their passion and before Logan can really deepen the kiss Veronica turns her head and buries it in his shoulder. He turns to glare at Wallace and sees Enbom has joined them.
Logan: Where’d you come from?
John Enbom: A nuclear bomb could have fallen and you wouldn’t have noticed.
Mac: (to Veronica) You realize we can all still see you right Veronica?
The small, currently flushed blonde lifts one hand from Logan’s waist to flip them off without raising her face. Logan smiles and drops a kiss on her down turned head.
Logan: That’s my girl.
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Later that afternoon Logan is waiting for Veronica outside her Spanish class. He wraps an arm around her shoulders and she reciprocates with one around his waist as they walk down the hallway.
Logan: Can you hang out tonight?
Veronica: I can’t.
Logan: Veronica. I’ve hardly seen you outside of school all week.
Veronica: We’re having a family dinner with the Fennels.
Logan: (grumpy) Then come to rehearsals.
Veronica: Can’t. I have to go to the dog pound and the flower shop.
Logan: (batting his eye lashes) For me? You don’t have to do that.
Veronica: For Meg. (narrowing eyes) You know, if you just told me who her secret admirer is I could hang out with you for an hour or so.
Logan: No.
Veronica: Your loss.
She slips out from under his arm to open her locker.
Logan: Seriously Veronica. I know I agreed to go slow, but this is ridiculous. I want to see you.
Veronica: I have work Logan, and you have play rehearsals. This isn’t me conspiring against you.
Logan: (glum) I just miss hanging out with you.
Veronica: I know.
Logan: Let’s skip the dance on Friday and go out. Just you and me.
Veronica: I promised Meg I would go.
Logan: (short) Fine. How about next week? Once you have time to check your schedule, have your people call my people. We’ll do lunch.
Veronica: (exasperated) We eat lunch together every day, Logan.
Logan: (walking away) Sorry Veronica, no time to talk. (he raises his wrist and points at his watch) I have rehearsals.
Veronica: Logan. Stop.
He doesn’t. She frowns at his back, but rolls her eyes instead of following him.
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Manny's Flower Hut: Veronica shows Manny the picture of Meg's flowers on her phone. He says he recognizes his handiwork, but when Veronica asks if he remembers what the buyer looks like, he comes up empty. Manny only remembers that he had a high school kid look. With this unhelpful information she thanks him and leaves.
Driving past the sheriff’s station on her way to meet Mandy at the Balboa County Animal Shelter she has an idea and calls the station to speak to Rogers. She asks him if Karl the sketch artist from San Diego is still in town. Rogers tells her that he is, but he’s teaching a few of the rookies how to question witnesses for good descriptions. She turns on the charm to get Rogers to help persuade Karl to visit Manny’s flower shop as an exercise for the rookies.
Cut to Veronica and Mandy at the dog pound. They have one of the new flyers Veronica created. This time, the pictures of Chester are in color. The flyer is headed "Reward! Recompensa. For any information leading to the safe return of 'Chester'." They hand it over to the man at the counter.
Veronica: We’re looking for a lost Jack Russell terrier, Chester. Any chance he’s come through?
JW: Pure bred Jack. Hadn’t come through. Sorry.
Another dog pound worker comes through from the back.
Hans: Veronica Mars? J-dub, this is the coolest girl in Neptune High. Uh, she was gonna get expelled for planting a spy cam in the teacher’s lounge, but she had so much dirt, they just let her off.
JW: Is that so?
Mandy: (to Hans) Have you seen my dog?
Veronica hands him a flyer.
Hans: Um. Uh, man, no. Aww, I wish I had though, what a cutie. Keep an eye out, okay?
Veronica: We’d really appreciate that. Thanks…
Hans: Hans.
Veronica: Hans.
Hans exits as Mandy turns to Veronica.
Mandy: You really hid a camera in the teacher's lounge?
Veronica: I have no idea what he's talking about.
Mandy: Oh.
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At home Veronica is putting a leash on an excited Backup when her phone rings, she picks it up and looks at the display hopefully, then her face falls. It’s not Logan.
Veronica Voiceover: So his way of showing he’s mad that we’re not spending enough time together is to ignore my calls and messages? Real mature.
She opens the phone and answers. It’s Hans, who says he has bad news.
Cut to the dog pound. Hans tells Mandy and Veronica that Chester was found but he had been hit by a car, so they had to put him down. He gives Chester's collar to Mandy. She cries.
Outside Veronica says goodbye to a still shaken up Mandy and hugs Backup. She calls her Dad to say she’s running a bit late but will meet him at the Fennels for dinner.
Dog Beach: Veronica is walking Backup throwing a ball and checking her phone every few minutes. While walking Backup back to her car she notices that a public bulletin board is covered with notices about lost dogs. She frowns as she looks at all the notices, knowing that there are way more than is usual. She takes several of the notices down and takes them with her.
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Leaving play rehearsals Logan checks his phone seeing several missed calls from Veronica. He immediately calls her back but she doesn’t pickup. He leaves a message then listens to two messages from her and one from Cliff thanking him for the delivery of his new suit. Veronica isn’t happy with him, and obviously thinks he was deliberately ignoring her calls, when really he’d been dealing with a drama rebellion. The recastings hadn’t gone over well with some students, not surprisingly the ones who had sucked and been replaced.
After some yelling and tears, and too many snide comments to count, Logan had cajoled or bullied them into accepting his choices. Meg would be Beatrice, which Logan had thought casting against type, but Dom was right, she really was good. Dom was Benedick, Meg’s friend Christina wais Hero, and Aaron Sugray is Claudio. Those two had been Dom’s idea, and more to do with his matchmaking and mischief making desires than any real affinity for their parts. Travis Kittlemeyer is Don Pedro, Corazon Soliman is Don John, Roxie was Margaret (perfect casting in Logan’s mind) and rounding it out is Adam Hamilton, who Veronica thinks looks like Fivel, but whom Logan thinks will make an excellent Dogberry.
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Sitting outside the Fennel house she considers calling Logan again, having seen that he had actually called her, but decides against it. Instead of going inside she calls a few of the numbers on the flyers and finds out only the owners who offered high rewards had gotten their dogs back.
Veronica Voiceover: I can’t do anything for Mandy but if someone is stealing dogs in Neptune, they need to be brought down, hard, then beaten with some sort of tire iron, and dumped into the nearest body of water.
Veronica climbs out of the car and clips the leash on Backup before walking up to the Fennel’s front door. Daryl opens it with a whoop of joy as he and Backup lunge for each other.
Keith: Veronica, you had to bring Backup?
Veronica: You said it was a family dinner. Hi Alicia. I hope it’s ok? We can put him in the back yard.
Ailica: Of course. I think I have a bone in the freezer that I saved for him. That should keep him out of the roses.
Veronica and Keith both smile. The bone does keep Backup out of the roses, but not out of the trash.
link to full chapter on FF