Archive of Our Own

I’m latching on, babe, now I know what I have found

I feel we're close enough, could I lock in your love?  

xxx

Three weeks after Logan gets back from his deployment, they decide to move in together. 

It was an idea mentioned casually through email and Skype calls - a preferred alternative to a giant metal box in the middle of the ocean and a pull-out couch in her father's guest room. So, once he's back on dry land and she's spending every night (okay, morning) driving the hour from his San Diego condo back to Neptune, they decide to pull the trigger.

The movers don't take long to set up his condo's furniture in their two-bedroom Neptune townhouse. It's her stuff from storage (essentially untouched since its arrival from New York) and the posessions she's amassed while staying at her dad's house that take up an entire Saturday of loading, driving and unloading. 

As they conclude their final haul of the day, he spots it. Peeking out of a shoe box labelled "on top of dresser", full of her mail and miscellaneous take out menus, is a framed photo of Veronica hugging a girl he's never seen before.

"Who's that?" he asks, settling the box down in what will eventually be their office-slash-guest room. In the middle of the room, she sits cross-legged on the rug, marking off something in a notebook, accounting for all the boxes she packed and their safe arrival to the new home.

"Who's who?" She barely looks up as she continues to check boxes against the list in her notebook, as if they were labelled more systematically than "books from dad's" and "law school stuff". 

Kneeling behind her, he wraps both arms around her small frame and replaces the notebook in her hand with the 4x7. The photo captures Veronica and a pink-cheeked Asian girl mid-laugh, the colorful leis around their necks suspended in motion.

"That's Cathy," she replies, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. His chin is resting atop her head, but if he had to, he'd bet her statement was accompanied by an eyeroll.

The name is one that Veronica has mentioned in Skype conversations, but Logan struggles to recall the details. He spent a significant percentage of those calls trying to piece Veronica's pixelated smile together, and the rest just staring at her lips. Obviously, he can't tell her that.

"The one with the wedding?" 

"Yes, babe," she wriggles around to face him and place a light kiss on his lips. "You said I could include you in the RSVP, so you're going too."

He kisses her back, wondering when he actually agreed to that.

xxx

He lays on their bed wondering whether he should get dressed or crawl back under the covers for a few more minutes of sleep. The sound of a blowdryer pulls him out of his internal debate, and in the corner of his eye, he can see a towel-clad Veronica through the open bathroom door. He chooses to go with a third option.

He slips into the bathroom so quietly that she doesn't notice him until he's next to her at the sink, their eyes locked in the vanity. He continues to stare at her reflection as her eyes wander his naked form, the blowdryer in her left hand long forgotten.

"Logan." 

The blowdryer goes silent.

"Veronica." 

He quirks an eyebrow at her.

"We have to be on the road soo-" Her sentence, and all corresponding thoughts, disappear as his lips meet her clavicle and his fingers tug the towel from her torso. Instinctively, her hands press against his shoulder blades, keeping him close. 

He's been home almost four months and they are still relishing every touch. Their friends have scowled, teased and gagged at the constant PDAs - arms always around shoulders or waists, fingers interlock even in the middle of meals, every hello and be right back punctuated with a kiss, hair tousled, legs caressed. 

And that's in public.

In the privacy of their own master suite, Logan's hands are firmly grasping her hips and lifting her so her bare bottom reaches the sink. His mouth meets hers in a hungry kiss, before descening to her throat and trailing kisses down her sternum.

"Logan, we don't have time." Her warning comes out as a whimper as he drops to her knees before her. 

Half an hour later, they are both finally dressed. 

Her hair is still damp as she strides through the front door, proclaiming that the car is packed. He fastens the lids to the two coffee tumblers on the kitchen counter and gives her a smile. 

"We're going to Santa Barbara, not Siberia," he reminds her.

"I'm a bridesmaid in Cathy Nguyen's wedding and you are meeting the Stanford crowd for the first time. The right supplies are necessary."

"So, how much booze is in the backseat?"

His smirk elicits a stern look, but there's no hiding the nervous excitement in her aura. She moves around the kitchen island, reaching up to tug him by the dog tags and pull him into a searing kiss. Immediately, his whole body responds - but before his hands work their way under her tank top, she pulls away.

"This is going to be fun," she whispers as a reassurance to both her boyfriend and herself.

xxx

The Santa Barbara ranch is reminiscent of many California resorts the Echolls family frequented when it was still whole. Logan doesn't tell Veronica this as she comments on the beauty of the location.

"Okay, we're a little late so we missed the breakfast." She swats him on the arm as he licks his lips, reminding them of why they're late. "The bridesmaids are all at the spa, so I'm just going to meet them there. Can you get us checked in? We're all meeting by the pool for lunch at one."

In typical Veronica fashion, she disappears as soon as she's doled out orders so Logan faces the bellhop and the loaded trolley and motions forward.

Once he's done settling the suitcases into their fifth floor suite, Logan takes his time meandering around the ranch. Minus the similarities to less than fun childhood vacations, Logan really likes the Mediterranean architecture and proximity to the beach. He reminds himself to tell Cathy that she chose an excellent location for an almost-destination wedding. 

The bar at the pool is fairly empty - it's a Friday afternoon, after all - so he settles to an ice cold beer and catches up on some email.

"Hey, are you here for the Nguyen-Roman wedding?" the deep male voice pulls Logan from his smartphone screen and finds him face to face with a dark haired man in board shorts and a rumpled button down. 

"Yeah," Logan nods politely. "My girlfriend's a bridesmaid."

The stranger breaks out into a wide smile. "No way, which of Cathy's sisters are you dating?"

"Um, none of them. I'm with Veronica. Veronica Mars." The edges of his lips curl upwards when he says her name. Like it's synonymous with all the things that make him happy. If you asked him, he'd definitely say she's the thing that makes him happy.

"Oh," the stranger's smile has faded and his jaw has tensed. "I'm Raul." He says his name like it means something, like he expects Logan to react in some sort of way. 

Military training and life experience in general have taught Logan how to tell when someone is witholding information. He doesn't like it but military training and life experience have also taught him to reign in his temper. He breathes in for four counts then exhales for four counts before replying.

"So, you know Veronica from Stanford?" Logan tries, but definitely fails, to keep his tone light. He is counting to four again when Raul smirks at his question.

"Well, yeah. We dated for most of it." 

xxx

From what Logan can tell, Raul is actually a nice guy. The men quickly sprint away from the awkward introduction and instead make small talk about the beautiful location of the wedding. While Raul elaborates on the previous day's spectacular round of golf with the groom, Logan wills himself to stop seeing him as Veronica's ex-boyfriend.

The logical portions of his brain know that Veronica's year-long reunion with Piz wasn't her only relationship in the nine years they were apart. The less logical portions question whether or not she knew her college boyfriend would be at this event and whether she looked forward to seeing him. 

For the first time, he wonders what the rest of college had been like for Veronica. Probably not as chaotic and destructive as it had been for him. He wonders whether she was able to find "normal" away from Neptune. Wonders if she chose to find it with this man. He doesn't have to wonder what she saw in him - even Logan can admit he's handsome and judging from their ten minutes of conversation, is an overall good guy. 

And as if summoned by his thoughts, he sees her emerge with a group of women at the far end of the pool. Catching his eye, she breaks into a smile and separates from the pack.

"Hey!" he calls out, pausing Raul in his description of the intoxicated groom-to-be trying to sink a three-foot putt. When the other man turns to see who approaches, Veronica halts so suddenly in her tracks, she loses her balance for a moment.

"V!" Raul exclaims, rushing out of his seat and pulling Veronica into a hug before Logan can rise to his feet.

"Raul!" she replies, a bright smile replacing her surprised expression once she is released from his embrace. "You've met Logan?"

"Yeah, we just met," Logan says, draping an arm casually (okay, possessively) around his girlfriend. "He was just telling me how Tim's been wasted for the past two days."

"Color me surprised," she says sarcastically, casting a quick look at Raul before returning her attention back to Logan. "Well, you're about to meet the whole motley crew. Ready, sailor?"

A bellowing round of laughter erupts from picnic tables at the other end of the pool area. Not wasting another moment with the couple, Raul is off to find the source of the joke. With a shake of her head, Veronica giggles and gestures for Logan to follow.

"Lead the way," he murmurs, picking up his beer and trailing after. 

xxx

Veronica's best friend from college reminds Logan a little too much of Veronica's best friend from high school.  

Not Wallace, her first best friend. Cathy Nguyen has the same magnetic energy and commanding presence as Lilly Kane once had. 

It's clear that while the group is friends with both bride and groom, Cathy is the sun in this universe. 

Logan is introduced as Veronica's boyfriend in a lightning round of handshakes and air kisses. It's only Cathy who exclaims, "Great to FINALLY meet you, Lieutenant!" grasping on to his biceps , smacking her lips and giving Veronica a painfully obvious wink. 

"Finally, huh?" he whispers to Veronica as they take their seats for lunch. "Tell me, what reputation precedes me?"

"She's one of my best friends, Logan. She's obviously seen my L+V= LOVE scapbook."

Under the table, he gives her thigh a squeeze, then turns to listen attentively to the ongoing conversation, determined to at least learn everyone's names. Like Cathy's some have been sprinkled in conversation with Veronica over the past nine months, but never in any depth of detail. He soon learns that the long picnic table, with the exception of himself and Cathy's three sisters, is filled with the core group of Stanford friends. 

The groom, Tim is a foil to his fiancee in almost every way. Tall, lean and light-haired, he leans back with a quiet smile. The stocky Brit next to him is Theo, who appears to be married to Rose, who Veronica has mentioned as another close friend. Christian, the only one whose personality rivals Cathy's in size, has been discreetly checking Logan out for the duration of the meal - something Leah, seated to the left of Logan, made sure to point out. Veronica and Raul round out the group, leaving Logan as the odd one out.

His chest tightens a little at the realization that Veronica has brought him into this precious circle. He reaches for her hand but realizes she is busy digging into the fish tacos on her plate, and settles for dropping a kiss on her shoulder. 

Giving her a smile, he commits himself to do her proud and put his best foot forward among her friends.

Except he can't. 

As the conversation goes on, one story dovetails into the next, all centered in Stanford and starring members of the group. Even Cathy's sisters, who attended the same university the two years preceding and the year after, feature in select shenanigans. 

The trip down memory lane gives Logan a peek into the easy, carefree post-Neptune period of Veronica's life, but allows him minimal room to add to the conversation other than apologizing for the spurts of beer that erupt during an ill-timed sip at the conclusion of Theo's surprising discovery after hooking up with a waitress at AsiaSF.

"It's better than we lost him at Berkeley! Remember when we hiked up to their stadium that week after we lost the Big Game?" Veronica chips in, sipping on her third margarita.

"Who could forget? That was legendary," Rose pipes in. "And you, Ms. MI-6, with the all the plotting to break in and plant the Stanford flag on the field. Brilliant plan to park in Frat Row. I'll never know how you found out which gates were furthest away from security."

"Research! She was five minutes away from making us dress as security guards," Raul adds with a laugh.

"Hey! No one could afford to get caught trespassing, especially on enemy territory," Veronica retorts defensively. Logan smiles at the thought of Veronica using her PI skills for the sole purpose of mischief.

"Too bad no one told Tim or Theo it was enemy territory. Talk about shortest attention span, you forget why we were there and walked straight into the nearest frat party!" Cathy smacks her fiance on the arm. "Thank God you got hungry or you wouldn't have found us at Top Dog afterwards."

"Oh Top Dog," Veronica says with a wistful sigh. Logan rolls his eyes. Leave it to his girlfriend to yearn for a hotdog five seconds after devouring a massive slice of tres leches cake. "Wait a second, we didn't go to Top Dog that night."

Immediately, the group bursts into laughter.

"We," Rose gestures to the group in its entirety, her coffee colored skin shining in the afternon sun. "We all went to Top Dog after the stadium. Some people," She points from Veronica to Raul. "Stayed at the stadium for another hour." 

The laughter begins again, as Logan sips his beer in silence.

xxx

"I've never flown a plane."

Following the Berkeley stadium story and noting the eight shades of red Veronica blushed, Cathy suggested they switch to a drinking game since lunch was complete and they had some time to kill before the rehearsal dinner. Margarita pitchers appeared from the ever-present waitstaff and Christian ensured that every glass was filled to the brim. 

Veronica's first turn was an obvious compliment to Logan and his current job. Surprisingly, Tim sipped his frozen drink as well. To Logan's raised eyebrow, the groom simply shrugged. "I grew up on a farm. We got bored and Grandpa had a crop duster. Not nearly as cool as what you do."

"What do you fly, Lieutenant?" Cathy, clearly buzzed, asks too loudly. "Something with a smashing set of headlights?"

Logan's jaw tenses. He can't be sure if she means it, but all he hears is the allusion to his jackass teenaged self. What stings the most is realizing that after everything they had been through in the years following, it was still significant enough for Veronica to share with her Stanford roommate. 

Inhale two three four. Exhale two three four.

"Okay, who's next?" Veronica rushes in. "Christian?"

The turns quickly evolve to be more and more targeted. Each statement is a poorly veiled confession of another persons misdeeds. 

I've never had sex in a library (everyone, except Rose and Theo who adds a disgruntled, "Babe, I told you everyone does it!"). I've never gone to law school (Veronica and Christian). I've never worked at Google (Raul, Christan and Tim). I've never gotten married (Theo, Rose and surprisingly, Raul). I've never shown up stoned to a final exam (Raul and Christian). 

On Cathy's next turn, she smiles wickedly before declaring, "I've never flashed everyone at the Planet Hollywood pool in Vegas."

Logan chuckles and scans the table to see who lifts their drink. He stops suddenly, noticing Veronica's posture stiffen. He rests his palm on her knee and waits for her to tell him she's suddenly worried about something else. An open case at Mars Investigations, a curling iron left on at the townhouse, something. Veronica, his Veronica, would have never-

"Flashing implies that it was done on purpose, I'm not drinking."

"Come on, 'Ronica! Every Spring Breaker saw your B-cups in all their glory, drink up!" Cathy taunts, taking a generous gulp from her own cup.

"I fell asleep tanning when you spilled ice on me," Veronica grumbles brining her drink to her lips. 

Cathy claps visibly with a roll of her eyes, "Okay Lieutenant, your turn."

"I never knew Veronica at Stanford."