Okay, so this came when I watched Episode 9, Spit and Eggs I think it was. So, spoilers up to there but it's AU so it's not completely canon… anyway, enjoy… the first chapter's short but that's where I had to cut it off so it would all fit for the story… next chapter will be tonight or tomorrow if I get enough reviews so please R&R!

☼☼☼

Veronica coughed, gasping for breath. She couldn't feel her hands, she couldn't feel her feet, and she was cold. She tried to move. She struggled, twisting and rolling. Her hands and feet were bound. She couldn't move. She stifled a sob but it wouldn't have mattered anyway. Even if she wasn't gagged, she was probably in some basement where no one would hear her anyway. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes. How did this ever happen?

The door creaked open and footsteps came towards her.

She tensed but there was really nothing she could do. She was bound, blind, and mute. Defenceless. Helpless.

☼A week before☼

"What do you want me to say, Veronica? I'm sorry! I'm always sorry. Sorry for things I didn't even do, sorry for the things I'm about the do and sorry for the things I don't even know I did… What do you want from me?" He threw up his hands in disgust and turned away.

"I don't know," she said tiredly, sitting on the couch, head in her hands.

He came back and dropped down in front of her, his hands coming to rest lightly on her thighs. "What can I do to make you trust me?"

The tears dripped through her fingers and she shook in silence.

He took her hands away from her face and gently wiped the tears away with his fingers. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Mercer and me in Mexico. I'm sorry I got angry and I'm sorry I let you walk out of my room. But I was so angry. I was human, Veronica. I can't help it. I'm not perfect… I'm pretty sure that's been clear for awhile now… but I love you. I love you. But you still don't let me in. And that's what's killing us."

She sobbed harder, unable to say anything. He took her hands and she gripped them hard. What was wrong with you? Get over it. Forgive him, a small voice yelled inside her. But he wasn't the one who needed forgiveness. She was.

Her head dropped again. Her shoulders shook but she'd stopped crying.

He sat beside her and wrapped his arms around her, rocking her back and forth. "Shhh, shhh, it's okay… you're okay…"

She held onto him tightly, breathing in his smell, a mixture of soap, aftershave, and something purely Logan. "No…"

He lifted her head with his hand, stroking her hair back behind her ear. "What?"

"No… I'm not okay, Logan. I'm broken… I'm so broken. I can't do this anymore. I can't handle anything anymore…"

☼☼☼

He watched her sleep. She looked exhausted, dark circles under her eyes and tear tracks down her cheeks. Every once in awhile she'd whimper and he'd smooth his hand down her arm, her leg, her back, to sooth her. He'd kiss her face, whisper 'I love you' but nothing helped. She was being tormented and there was nothing he could do for her, short of waking her up to a different nightmare. No, better to let her sleep, if fitfully, for awhile longer.

He had no idea who the rapist was but if he did, he'd tear the guy limb from limb. If this case wasn't handled soon, it would wreck Veronica. Permanently. He stroked her hair lightly. "I love you so much Veronica…" Tears dripped out of his eyes to slide down his cheeks. He knew what he had to do but at the same time he didn't want to.

☼☼☼

"You weren't outside my Criminology class…" She leaned into him.

He was cold, quiet. "Yeah…"

"What's wrong?"

"I don't think this is working." He had a hitch in his breath. "I think we have a choice. I think we can take a tough but survivable amount of pain now or stay together and deal with unbearable pain later. So I vote for the pain now… but I'm always here… if you need anything…" He leaned forward and cupped her face, kissing her on the forehead. Then a flash of despair went across his face. "But you never need anything…" And then he was gone.

She stared after him. What? Where the hell did that come from? But she knew. She'd known for awhile. It was only so long before he stopped taking her crap…

☼☼☼

Let me know what you think!