Chapter 2: Settling into Married Life

By the time Logan and Veronica went to the condo, it was pretty late. He was relieved to see that it was a luxury furnished condo with a nice view of the city from the balcony. He noticed that Veronica recoded the door after they were inside. Grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge, Logan goes onto the balcony and opens his laptop. He calls his assistant. They have a lot of things to go over before tomorrow.

Done with his conversation, Logan plugs his laptop in the desk area and then goes into the bedroom. He was a little surprised it is a one bedroom condo but noticed the bed was king sized. Walking into the bathroom, he sees it has a large shower and tub. Peeking in, he sees his clothes hanging in the walk in closet. He noticed that Veronica's suitcase and clothes had been placed in the other side of the closet as well. Mentally shrugging, he goes over to a drawer and pulls out his pajama bottoms and heads back into the bedroom.

When Veronica walks into the bedroom, she is carrying the bag of dressing supplies that the hospital gave her. He could see that she has already showered and is wearing a short robe. She came over to him and asked, "Have you finished up with your assistant?" Logan nods. Business like, Veronica nods at his shoulder and says, "Let me help you with the sling." She reaches over and helps him take off the sling and his shirt. She goes over to the bag the hospital gave them and gets out a protective dressing. She carefully puts it on over Logan's hospital dressing and then reaches for his belt. Stopping her with his good arm, Logan says, "I can do that." Nodding she turns and heads into the bathroom and starts the shower for him. He follows her in and waits until she leaves to get into the shower. God, she looks so sexy in that short housecoat.

'

Logan comes back to the bedroom and sees Veronica putting her gun and badge into the bedside table. She is plugging in her phone and laptop. He notices that she took the side of the bed closest to the door. He stops when he sees her pulling back the covers and says briskly, "I'll take the couch."

Frowning at him, Veronica waves him off saying, "Don't worry Logan. You're safe from me." Logan watches as she pulls off the housecoat and reveals a light blue night gown. It is baby blue satin and hugs her curves nicely. Reaching up, she shuts off her bedside light and settles on her half of the bed to sleep. Logan slowly sits down on the bed and reaches for the night light. He shuts it off and lies down on his half of the bed. He looks up at the ceiling. He can't believe that today he was shot and now he is being protected by Veronica Mars. It is all so surreal. It has been eight years since she went away to her FBI internship and never came back. He had quit college and gone to LA. Connor Larkin had got him a job on his film as a director's assistant. Logan had loved it and had soaked up everything. He knew a lot of what went on from his days spent watching his father and Connor on the set. He was a quick learner and the director promoted him for his next movie. Soon Logan became an assistant director. After a few years of working as an assistant, Logan directed a smaller movie and then he got a script and he put his own money into producing and directing it. It had made a lot of money and a name for Logan as a director and a producer.

Hearing a soft snore, Logan looks over at Veronica and to his surprise she is asleep. He remembers that she flew from South America so she is probably very tired. She seems to work as long hours as he does. Logan looks at her. In the moonlight, her skin is a soft cream color. The nightgown is flat against her body while she is on her back. Logan can see the rise of her breasts against the gown and how her abdomen is flat. She looks very much like she did when they dated. Logan thinks back to his time with Veronica and how passionate they were together. He has dated a lot of beautiful women since Veronica; movie stars, singers, dancers. He hasn't met anyone he would consider dating steady or living with. He thinks the only woman he ever thought he would marry was Veronica. Here they are eight years later both busy in their careers. He wonders if there is a man in her life. He wonders what it means that they are thrown together. .

Logan wakes the next morning, turns his head and sees that he is alone in the bed. He looks over at the clock and sees it is a few minutes past nine. Gingerly, he sits on the edge of the bed feeling the pull of the stitches in his shoulder and grimaces a little at the pain. All these years away from his childhood beatings have certain decreased his pain tolerance. Groaning a little and he moves his neck to loosen the muscles. He hears a noise in the doorway and looks up. Veronica is standing there in jeans and green blouse. She looks fresh from a shower. Walking closer, she almost cheerfully tells him, "I brought you some juice and a pain pill."

"Now that is what I call service," he tells her with a tiny smirk.

Veronica walks over and the puts the tray with the pill and glass on Logan's beside table. Professionally she turns to him and tells him, "I'll start the shower for you." She goes over and gets a waterproof cover and brings it back putting it gently over his wound. Pointedly, she hands Logan the pill and the juice and then heads into the bathroom to start his shower for him. When Logan arrives in the bathroom, Veronica tells him quietly, "By the time you are done your shower, breakfast should be ready. Say fifteen minutes?"
Logan nods his agreement and watches as Veronica leaves the room. He slides his pajama bottoms off and steps into the shower. He sighs in approval as the warm water hits his skin. He is stiff from the shoulder pain. The heat feels great.

Logan stands there and thinks about waking up in the middle of the night and feeling Veronica's arm across his chest. They had both migrated to the middle of the bed and he had been holding her with his right arm. She had her head pillowed on his shoulder, her leg tangles with his and her arm across his chest. She was sleeping peacefully. He had gently moved himself away from her and she had rolled back over to her side of the bed. Logan had eventually fallen back asleep on his side of the bed. He has to admit though that it felt good holding her. She had always fit so perfectly in his arms.

Logan shut off the shower and dried off. He pulled on some boxers and jeans with his good arm. He had picked out a shirt and had carried it down stairs with his sling knowing he would need Veronica's help to finish getting dressed. He was a lot sorer than he thought he would be today. It could have been a lot worse. Thankfully he got close enough that his stalker couldn't get the gun pointed at his chest.

When he arrived in the kitchen, Veronica was wearing an apron and was busy cooking eggs. When she heard him arrive she turned her head to look at him, "I made you a ham and cheese omelet. I hope you still like them?"

Logan nodded that he did. He held up the shirt and sling and said, "I could use some help this morning."

Veronica deftly put his omelet on a plate and carried it to the table. She walked over and took his shirt from him. She helped him put it on and then affixed his sling over to support his shoulder. She smiled up at him and said, "Is the pain pill helping yet?" Logan nodded and told her it was tolerable. Veronica had accepted what he said and walked over to the table. She had her computer open on the other side of the table from where Logan's omelet was sitting. She had made him brown toast and cut up some fruit.

Logan sat down and looked at breakfast and said, "This looks great. Thanks Ronnie."

She has looked up from her computer and said a little formally, "You are very welcome Logan." Watching as he took a few tentative bites and then settled in to eat, she teases dryly, "Thanks for the faith."

Logan had laughed and answered back, "In my defense, you weren't much of a cook when we broke up."

"I've had to learn since then," she merely tells him before she goes back to her computer work and leaves Logan to eat his breakfast in peace. After a few minutes, Logan asks how Joe is doing and is relieved to hear that he survived the surgery and is in Intensive Care. When Logan is done eating, Veronica stands and takes his plate. As she walks towards the dishwasher, she says, "I'll clean up and then we can go to the set."

Frowning a little as he stands, he tells her, "You can leave that for the maid, can't you?"

Laughing at his spoiled attitude, she shakes her head, "We are on our own Logan. I don't want to deal with housekeepers, maids and other personnel. I already have enough people to check out on the set alone." Logan looks at Veronica in shock. "Don't worry, I'll do most of the work," she reassures him as she opens the dishwasher and starts loading his plate and silverware. Logan just shakes his head and goes back to finish getting ready for the set.

The tabloids and papers have already reported the story that Logan Echolls has a stalker who shot him and even of more interest is the fact he is married. They have pictures of him and Veronica leaving the hospital together. Logan has his arm around her and a sling on his left shoulder. Sources tell the papers that Logan and Veronica have been married a month and were living together in France. Veronica travels around the world as a photojournalist. She was in Venezuela doing a story on the changes in the country since the dictator took over. She came home when she was informed her husband was being stalked. She arrived back in the States to find out he had been shot. Logan has been in Philadelphia on the set of the new movie he is co producing and directing. Neither party has any comment on the wedding or the shooting.

A few days later, Logan has to admit that the situation with Veronica is not as bad as he thought it would be. She doesn't interfere with his work schedule at all. In fact, she seems to disappear for hours at a time and reappears when it is time for a break for him and the crew. She makes him take the pain pills and makes sure he eats. Yesterday he had a horrible tension headache and she seemed to know and appeared behind him giving him a neck rub that really helped his headache.

Logan had told the crew that Veronica was making a book for him about the movie as a keepsake. It would not be sold. Everyone had accepted her presence on the set and she had been very quiet and unobtrusive. She seemed to make friends with most of the crew. On breaks, Logan would walk past and see her sitting and laughing with different members of the crew. He could tell she was working, getting to know them and asking them about the movie and set. He knew if anyone could find his stalker, it would be Veronica. She had a way of finding out the information she needed.

She stayed on the set from early morning to late night with Logan. She never complained at the hours or about having to help him dress and undress. She kept the condo clean and she cooked for him. It turns out she learned a lot about cooking from her travels and she cooked Logan some of the dishes she learned to make. Logan was impressed at her prowess in the kitchen. They slept together every night often ending up in each other's arms. Neither ever spoke about waking up intertwined.

Very early one morning, Logan was sitting in the kitchen looking at the shooting schedule for the day. Veronica sat across from him and said, "Logan, I think we need to push your stalker's buttons a little more."

Looking up at her, he raises an eyebrow and asks, "What are you thinking of doing?"

"I know everyone on set knows we are married and they know in their head that we have sex. I just think we might need to be a little more out there," she tells him earnestly.

Instantly, Logan smirks and asks slowly, "What exactly do you have in mind?"

She makes a face at him and explains, "Nothing too overt Logan. I was thinking the next time we are alone but on the set where a few people will see us, you need to show that we are in love and when we go home together, we are going to be intimate."

Veronica made sure she was affectionate with Logan but was very unobtrusive about it. Logan knew that the crew was like family and very interested in each other's lives. The crew after learning Veronica and Logan were married watched them closely. They of course, had read about their love affair in high school and college as well as their breakup. Logan had gone to Hollywood and Veronica had gone to New York and taken her photojournalism degree. Since she graduated she had been traveling the world. The stories about how they had met in France and realized they were still in love were romantic.

The crew watching them together had no trouble believing they were in love and married. It was easy to see their comfort with each other and the passion underneath. Logan's face would light up when he spotted Veronica. He seemed to need to touch her when they were together. His arm was around her tiny waist, on her lower back or he held her hand when they walked together. Yesterday she had rubbed his neck and seemed to ease his headache. It was obvious she had done that before.

Veronica had her camera with her at all times and had taken pictures quietly of everyone. She had down loaded the pictures onto the computer and had been ruling out women on the set. She had used the picture she got of the suspect from Logan's description and used face matching technology to check against the pictures she took. Logan was impressed at how methodical she was and how thorough.

As Veronica took the stress off Logan, he relaxed. His relaxed manner trickled down to the rest of the crew and shooting began to go easier. His stars were getting things done in just a few takes and the crew was getting the sets ready just how Logan wanted them. He was very pleased with how things were going. They were catching up from how far behind they were with the stalker alerts.

Veronica had told Logan to make it look like they were headed to the condo to make love. Dutifully, Logan had waited until after most of the crew left. Veronica and Logan had walked together from the editing trailer towards the car to go home. Logan had stopped Veronica and had pulled her into his arms. He had looked down at her and they had talked. She had put her arm up and pushed his hair away from his forehead. He had leaned down and kissed her. The kiss had deepened and she had put her arms around his neck and pulled herself closer. The remaining crew had seen their passion for each other and had not doubted that they were in love. Logan had broken the kiss and kissed down to her ear. He had whispered something to her and she had smiled and pulled out of his arms taking his hand and pulling him towards the car. He had laughed at her but had gone very willingly with her to the car and home. The crew had guessed that it would be a romantic night in the Echolls' condo.

The next morning they got into the car as usual. Logan was focused on his daily schedule. He had been shocked when she had leaned up and kissed him just as the door to the car opened. The security guard at the door of the set looked a little embarrassed at catching them kissing. Veronica giggled when they had been caught kissing and apologized to him when he helped her out of the car. He had smiled at her and winked telling her he totally understood. They were still newlyweds.

On the way into their trailer, Veronica quietly told Logan that Steve was a huge gossip and the news of them making out in the back of the car would be around the set very quickly. She gleefully told Logan that it should really annoy the stalker. Logan had shaken his head looking at her. She was always planning.

Logan was right in that the gossip was strong about the kiss and the couple headed to the car for a romantic night. Then the next day when the couple arrived, they had been caught kissing by Steve at the door. Added to the gossip from a few days ago when one of the makeup girls had asked Veronica when they were going to have children and she had blushed and seemed flustered. She had told them that they hadn't discussed when to start a family and had then immediately changed the subject. She had left the room soon afterwards. The women left had decided that she was either pregnant now or they were trying to get pregnant. Veronica had laughed when she told Logan that the next tabloid would have the bump watch. Logan had shaken his head at her. She was really pushing all the buttons of the stalker.

A week later, Veronica had expressed real frustration that it seemed like no one on the set was the stalker. She had told Logan that the problem was that although he closed the set, crew could bring anyone in they wanted and the stars were frequently bringing guests that were not logged in at the studio gate or door of the set. They had put agents out at the gate and had put cameras at the studio door so they could use the face matching technology on anyone new who came in. It just would take time to catch the stalker.

Veronica decided to up the ante with the stalker. She told Logan to go ahead to the set without her and she would see him in a couple of days. When Logan arrived on set alone, he merely told anyone who asked that Veronica had gone to visit her father in Neptune for a few days.

One of the agents from the front gate came in to check on Logan. He found him in the editing trailer looking at the morning shots before the next scene was set up. Eric sat next to Logan and asked him how things were going. Upbeat, Logan told him they seemed to be making up some time from the initial fallout of discovering he had a stalker. Eric shakes his head and comments, "It is funny reading the tabloids about your marriage."

Curious at how the agent worded his opinion, Logan looks up at Eric and asks, "Because you know we are not married?"

Eric immediately nods and adds, "Partly that and the fact Ronnie is not inclined that way."

Logan narrows his gaze at Eric and says, "What way?"

"You know, not inclined to be with men," Eric shares. Logan looks at Eric with a frown. Eric misinterpreting his frown quickly adds, "Not that any of us mind. I mean who she lives with and sleeps with is not my business. She's a good agent; that is what matters."

Logan asks, "What do you mean who she lives with?"

Eric answers easily, "She lives with this girl named Mac and Mac has openly told a few agents who have been at their place that she is gay."

Surprised, Logan queries "Cindy MacKenzie is gay?"

Eric settles himself more comfortably in the chair and tells him, "Yeah, you know her?"

Logan nods, "We went to high school together." There is a pause and then when his curiosity gets the best of him, Logan asks, "What makes you thinks Veronica is gay?"

"We all know it. She hasn't had one date with a guy for years and she and Mac have lived together for years. Every major function, Veronica brings Mac. She and Mac bought a house together," Eric gossips. Eric looks around the room and then goes on, "We all laugh that Mac is the man and Veronica is the woman. Mac always wears pants and masculine type suits while Veronica is always wearing very feminine clothes." Logan looks at Eric and is obviously thinking. Veronica had told him that he had no idea how much her life had changed. Could she mean she was gay? Logan thinks about the chemistry between them even now. He is brought out of his thoughts by Eric saying, "She and Mac said they were friends since high school? You didn't know they were gay then?"

Sighing at the whole conversation, Logan changes the subject, "Any news on the stalker front?"

The next day one of the tabloids shows a picture of Veronica coming out of an obstetrician's office. She ignored questions from the press and got into her rental and drove away. She had been seen going into her father's house and had stayed overnight in Neptune. Speculation was she was pregnant and had told her father. Veronica arrived at the studio the next morning as usual with Logan and neither made any announcement or statement. They got back to business as usual. No one asked Veronica about the doctor's visit and she didn't offer any information. The crew was getting ready to move outdoors for the next shoot.

A few nights later, Logan ordered in and the food arrived shortly after they arrived. They sat together at the table eating. He was amazed at how easily they settled into living together. They discussed the day's events and Logan talked about how the shooting that day went. There is a compatible silence while they finish eating. They had taken to cleaning the kitchen together and then they retired to the living room with their coffee, Logan looks over at Veronica and states, "I had a really interesting conversation with Eric while you were gone."

Veronica looks up from her coffee cup and asks, "What about?"

Logan takes a sip of his coffee and puts it down. He turns towards his pretend wife and starts, "Eric commented on how you are gay." He notices that she does not look surprised at one of her fellow agent's views. Logan relaxes back and continues, "I am a little surprised to find out that Mac has told people she is gay." He pauses and adds contemplatively, "After Cassidy, I imagine women are a viable alternative. It's just she seemed happier dating Brandon and that Max guy."

Veronica nods and after a pause she shares, "Mac came out a couple of years ago. Once she graduated she moved up to Washington and stayed with me. We just ended up deciding to live together. I was hardly ever home and she works long hours." Logan nods as it makes sense they would live together. He had heard about Mac starting up her own consulting firm. Veronica continues, "We went together and bought a house. Mac is doing well and wanted to own some property. My base is in Washington so it was a good deal for me too."

Logan continues to look at Veronica. He finally gets up and goes over and sits beside her. He meets her gaze and asks, "What I wanted to know was why you let everyone you work with think you are gay?"

She looks a little surprised at his blunt question but keeps his gaze as she asks, "You don't believe I'm gay?"

He immediately shakes his head confidently and tells her, "I know you're not."

Narrowing her gaze a little, Veronica asks, "Because of the sex we had in college?"

Logan moves closer and admits, "Partly because of that." He reaches out and puts his hand behind her head and nestles it in her hair. He explains, "Mostly because of the unique chemistry I still feel between us." He leans in slowly and tilts her face up to his. He gently kisses her bottom lip and then her top lip. He pulls back and looks down at her. He bends his head and places his lips over hers.