A/N: Ugh, school. Sorry it's taken me a bit. Really. But I am spending time finishing this fic, don't worry. Also, thank you so so much to all of you reviewers. You make me want to continue this story, finish it right. If you've been here from the beginning, I'm so grateful. And to new readers, I hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think.

Chapter Thirteen

VERONICA:

"Talk? About what?"

"Don't be obtuse, Veronica; talk about us," Logan said, annoyed, "and don't deny that there isn't a 'us.' There is."

I bit the inside of my cheek. Then let out a deeps sigh. "Fine! There's a 'us.' Happy?"

"Very. So-"

"But it's only physical. I'm attracted to you. That's all," I interrupted him before he could continue.

"Veronica," Logan bit out, frustrated.

"Logan, you're an ass. You know you are. In fact, I'm sure you revel in being an insensitive jackass," I continued.

"I do not," Logan said, but he had a smirk curling his lips as he said it.

"Oh, yeah? How did you react when I told you I was going with Troy to the homecoming dance?" He looked sheepish at the reminder, but before he could voice his excuse, I said "Right, by calling me a slut."

Logan looked down at the ground before meeting my eyes again. "I am sorry, Veronica."

"Yeah, well-"

"You're right, okay? I'm a bastard. It's all I know. When you told me, after everything I'd been trying to do to get you to go out with me, that you were going with that idiot Troy, it was like a punch in the gut, and I lashed out. I regretted it the moment I said it. I'm sorry, Veronica. Sincerely sorry."

"I appreciate you saying that Logan, I do, but what about in the future? We're gonna fight; you know we are. And how are you gonna respond? By lashing out at me? I'm sorry, but I don't really see that as a healthy relationship," I told him quietly, staring at the wall behind him.

He tugged at my chin, until I met his eyes. "Can't we try?"

"Logan, I don't even know if I like you."

"So, we'll hang, and I'll try to hold back my asshole tendencies, and you can see how wonderful I am, and I might even let you get a look at this magnificent body of mine," Logan paused, "if you're good."

I couldn't stop the small smile that appeared on my face. "Logan."

"Veronica, have some faith," Logan cut in. Faith. Like it had ever done anything for me before.

"I don't believe in faith," I said quietly. "I'm not dating you-"

"Veronica-"

"But, I am not averse to having a... physical relationship with you. I am not dating you Logan, not right now."

"What, you mean making out all the time without spending any real time with each other?"

"Yeah, right." I said decisively.

"Wow, Veronica Mars, shallow?" Logan said mockingly, grinning down at me. I just scrunched my nose up at him.

"I can't deny that I feel an attraction to you," I admitted softly. Logan opened his mouth to say something, probably to say he was right, but I smacked my hand over his mouth, stopping him from saying a word. "But I don't think I can handle a relationship right now. I don't want to be tied down. And if later we get to know each other better, we can talk then. Okay?"

Logan sighed, and staring down at me agreed. "Okay."

"And I'm not going to have sex with you," I informed him suddenly, not wanting him to get the wrong idea. At least yet, my mind corrected.

His brown eyes softened as he said, "I'm fine with waiting until you're ready, Veronica."

It sounded strange coming from Logan Echolls, man whore, only worried about getting laid.

"Why?"

Logan laughed, shaking his head," Why? I have to have ulterior motives for being okay with waiting to have sex?"

"Yeah, because it seems from what I heard about you around school that the only time you bother with being nice to girls is because you want to sleep with them. And if you can't get that with me, I don't see why you would you bother spending time with me."

"Veronica, stop being suspicious of everything I say. It's getting annoying," Logan huffed, stalking towards the door, "not everything is a mystery. Although if it helps, if you keep acting like this, I'm sure I will lose interest in you soon enough."

"Yeah, I'm sure you will," I murmured under my breath.

Logan twisted around, an angry look on his face, "Honestly? You're being stupid. Yes, I sleep around. You're right. But frankly I'm more interested in you than sex at the moment. But don't worry Veronica," Logan said snidely, "You'll know when that changes." The door slammed as he left.

It didn't matter. It did not matter that Logan was being pissy (right). I had things to do that afternoon, and I did not need Logan on my mind.

It was time. I had to do this, know for sure. Or maybe I just had to talk to him, see what he was like. But I knew I needed to do this. It was time.

I rang the door bell to the Kane's mansion. A maid answered the door, and when I asked if Jake Kane was in (I knew he was; I had gotten his schedule ahead of time), the maid told me no. When I told her I needed to see him, that I was Lianne Reynold's daughter and this was important, the maid finally caved and went to ask.

I waited impatiently, my arms crossed protectively over my chest. I heard the tap of the maid's shoes before I saw her striding back determinedly. She held out her arm, ushering me in, "Come on, then. I'll show you to Mr Kane's office."

"Thank you," I replied quietly. I followed her down the hallway. The house seemed different during the day, without music pounding and people crammed in. There was almost too much space now, the walls white, the floor white, the furniture (you guessed it) white. It seemed empty, cold.

Nothing from my family's considerably smaller, warmer house. Money didn't seem to make a house a home, that's for sure.

The maid stopped and gestured toward a white door on the right. "Right through there." Then she was gone, walking down the hallway and around the corner, out of sight. I inhaled a deep breath, then knocked.

A man called for me to come in, and I opened the door and slipped in, shutting it behind me and locking it.

Jake Kane looked up from some papers on his desk and smiled charmingly. "You must be Veronica Mars, Rebecca's sister, right?"

I nodded, staring at him.

"So Miss Mars, what can I do for you?" he smiled at me, leaning back in his chair, hands linking together. He had an expression of polite interest on his face.

"I want to know how long you had an affair with my mother," I said firmly, never taking my eyes from his.

His smile dropped off, his skin turned pale, and he looked away from me. I could hear him swallow as he sat up straight and frowned at her. "Miss Mars, I'm afraid you must have misunderstood. I barely know your mother, and certainly have never had any inappropriate meetings with her."

"Yeah? I thought you were high school sweethearts? The king and queen of the prom? That doesn't sound like you barely knew her," I snapped, "and I found letters. From you. Before and after she was married." Jake flinched.

"You want to explain that to me, Mr Kane? What exactly did I misunderstand?"

He abruptly adopted the expression of a man in despair and admitted, "You're right, we had a brief affair while we both married. I'm so sorry Veronica, but it was a mistake on both our parts. It happened years ago, and we haven't seen each other since. I know this must be very hard on you."

"No, that's not quite as hard as the possibility that you may be my biological father. Now that is what's hard."

"I, uh-"

"What? Nothing to say to your long lost daughter?" I asked scathingly, "didn't you miss me, daddy?"

His jaw twitched and he stood up. "You must leave now. Now!"

Tears flooded my vision and I looked away. I wasn't crying, I wasn't. "Yeah, I'm gone." I turned and jogged down that white hallway, and opened the front door, slipping out. I knocked away the tear that escaped, shaking my head. Then I heard the voices.

Shit. Fantastic. Duncan and Lilly Kane, Logan Echolls, and my sister were coming up the drive, laughing. And here I was, eyes puffy and red from crying. This day could not get worse.

There was no where to hide. Why couldn't the rich have bushes or trees in their front yards? Just cement and glass, and a statue that wouldn't hide me.

So I waited.

A/N: Thanks for reading. Please review! All feedback is appreciated. :D