Okay this is my first Veronica Mars story, so please be kind. This will turn more LoVe as the story continues. Please review, I love feed back and I want to know if I should continue. Thanks much.

Disclaimer: I don't own Veronica Mars but then you all knew that.

Measure of a Man

You've reached Logan, and here's your inspirational message for the day, ' The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort or convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.' Martin Luther King Jr."

Veronica felt the obligatory eye roll come even before she the rest of the quote spurted forth from her phone. That's probably the most ironic quote she's heard from him yet. Does he pay attention to the quotes he so thoughtfully puts on his voice mail or does he just spew the words from some Inspirational Quote website. Or maybe, and this was probably the truth, he knew exactly what the quote meant and he just doesn't think very much of himself. He always had that self loathing attitude simmering on the back burner since Lily was murdered. Of course it was only heightened by his father killing his first love and me breaking his heart. Veronica was so wrapped up in her thoughts about Logan that she didn't realize the beep had come and gone to signal that she could leave a message for him.

"Uh... Logan... I..." But before she could even leave a message the driver side door of the car she was sitting in, opened and in slide Duncan Kane. The solid, sort of stable man (well more stable at the moment then Logan) that Veronica thought she needed in her life at the time.

He looked at her with a smile. "Who was on the phone?" He held a tub of popcorn and an extra-large Pepsi. After handing her the popcorn he slammed the car door shut and looked at the Drive-in screen that still wasn't showing the movie.

She gave him a small, halfhearted smile. "Just checking in with my dad. You know how he worries." It was a lie, and a bad one, but he was so trusting he didn't suspect. Perhaps that's why she felt even more guilty then usual about those little white lies she was so good at telling. She brushed the guilt out of her mind and looked down at the popcorn. She looked back up at him giving him her full radiant smile. "Why, Duncan Kane, I do believe you know the way to a girls heart, extra butter and a drink to go with."

And just at that moment the opening credits to the movie started. Veronica leaned over and kissed her boyfriend gently on the lips. She really did care about him, she wasn't sure if it was love, but she did care about him. He gave her a 'what was that for' look. She simply smiled and the leaned into his arms making herself comfortable as her eyes went back to the screen. "Thank you for taking me out and getting my mind off... things. That's what that kiss was for." Things in this instance being the bus crash and losing several of her classmates, that it was her fault in a manner of speaking. And he also got her thoughts off of Logan, but she was pretty sure Duncan was pretty clueless about that last part.

Why was she thinking about Logan again anyways, she thought she stopped that after she picked things up again with Duncan? She was convinced that it was only because she was worried about him after she found out he was sleeping with Kendall Casablancas. She wasn't jealous, that much was for certain, she was just worried about what Mr. Casablancas would do to him, that was all. What was he doing with someone her age anyways? Okay that was a stupid question, teenage boy, drop dead gorgeous Laker Girl, it was obvious. But he was playing with fire, and this self-destructive behavior of his was worrying her.

The annoying electronic ring tone of Veronica's phone pierced her thoughts of Logan. She set the tub of popcorn down and leaned to slide the phone out of her messenger bag. It took her several seconds to find it. Finally her hand emerged victorious and she looked toDuncan and gave him a small smile and the 'I'm sorry' look.

"You know those things aren't allowed in theaters, they disturb the other movie goers." She gave her a small all-knowing smirk.

"Well, then it's a good thing we're at a drive-in." She matched his smirk with a grin. "But really, I should take this. It could be my dad. We don't want him getting worried and tracking my cell phone, now do we?"

"Go, take it, you'll just have to make it up to management later on." He gave her his best rakish smile.

She raised an eyebrow in an 'oh really' manner then looked at the caller id of her phone. Her playful mood vanished and the smile left her face when she saw the name that flashed on the screen. Logan. God, was he psychic, did he know she was thinking about him at that exact moment? Of course he was probably just returning her call. But she hadn't really left a message for him to respond to. She hadn't even been expecting him to call back. She was quite used to his cold shoulder attitude with a few lapses to make snide comments about her and Duncan. And that one tender moment where he told her he missed her. Those words touched her. She didn't expect another one of those any time soon. So she knew that answering this phone call would not be a pleasant experience.

"Well, are you going to answer it?" Duncan looked over at her expectantly.

She put on a fake smile that she knew wouldn't fool anyone. "Nope, it's not anyone important."

"Veronica who are you fooling, I know you better then that." He reached for the phone. At first Veronica was a bit worried to show it to him. But then she figured that a fight over letting him see who was only the other line would only make him more suspicious. She let him take the phone easily out of her hands. He looked at the caller id, "Logan?" He looked at her questioningly. She simply nodded her head. "Expecting this call?"

"No," which was half true. "I'm not sure what he wants. And right now it's not important. Probably anything he has to say would only ruin our date."

"Are you sure you don't want to answer this."

"I'm sure. Besides I'm sure it's too late, he's already probably been directed to voice mail. If it's important he'll leave a message. All I want to concentrate on right now is you."

Duncan gave her a small smile after all he felt he won another little piece of Veronica's heart from Logan, now that she choose to ignore the phone call. "That's what I like to hear."

She gave him another smile and took the phone back from him, slipping it back into her bag. She heard the tiny beep alerting her that she had missed a call and that a voice mail had been left. She turned that particular feature off and then settled back into Duncan's arms. She looked back up at the movie screen and absentmindedly took a handful of popcorn. And for a couple of moments it worked, her mind was kept busy so that no thought of Logan entered. But of course it was only for a few moments and he was at the forefront again. What message had he left her? Her eyes darted from the screen to her bag and she squirmed in Duncan's arms uncomfortably.

Duncan stiffened slightly, he knew exactly what or who rather her thoughts were on. He wasn't worried, he knew she was his girl. But he also knew there was that history that Logan and her would share and it drove him nuts. He cleared his throat as she moved again, trying to make herself more comfortable. "You still care about him, don't you?"

His tone wasn't confrontational or accusing, it was just a simple question and the way he asked it touched her. She sat up straight and turned to look at him, carefully for a moment. "Honestly?" He nodded his head and she went on. "Yes, I do. He meant a lot to me at one time and when you care about someone that much you can't really forget feelings like those. It was the same way I felt about you when... well you know."

Duncan just nodded his head as a wave of guilt over how he had ended things last time. He didn't handle the whole situation in the best way.

"I mean we were pretty intense. And then you know before when... Lilly was still alive... we were friends then too." She shrugged her shoulders and laughed a little. "Logan and I... well...yeah, it was a strange relationship."

Duncan gave her a small smile. "But not ours. Lilly always said we were made for each other." He leaned forward and kissed her lips gently. Then pulled away again. "Besides, I know that you're my girl."

Veronica smiled a little to reassure him. But in her own mind thoughts were flashing through her brain. Were we really meant for each other? Was she really his girl, heart and soul? She quickly shut those doubts out of her mind. She was in love with Duncan even if she never voiced how she felt. But if she loved Duncan, why didn't she feel that excitement she felt when Logan was the one who touched her lips. Why didn't Duncan leave her breathless? Was it because she already felt these things when she dated Duncan the first time around and she was just used to him? That had to be it.

She leaned forward, kissing Duncan on the lips with a little more passion and he accepted her kiss. He leaned back pulling her with him. The movie was now all but forgotten as they settled into what most teenage couples did at drive-ins. She showered his lips with kisses with such an urgency that it frightened her. It was almost as if she thought that if she could just continue kissing him all unwanted thoughts of Logan would just disappear.