Title: The Fool-proof is Under The Mistletoe

Rating: PG-13 to R

Disclaimer: I do not own Veronica Mars or any characters from the fantastic creation of Rob Thomas.

"The decorations should be tasteful, mother," Madison Sinclair said curtly, dismissively. Her eyes followed the movement of the tacky, sloppily glittered, hand-made ornament in her mother's hand as it hovered near a branch of the tree only to slowly return and be delicately placed back inside the box labeled "Christmas Decorations".

Her mother's eyes fondled the ugly little thing even as she gave in to her eldest daughter's whim. "Your sister made that for us in first grade," she explained.

Madison rolled her eyes. "Obviously."

Her mother began again, "But—

"Mom! I invited half the school," Madison huffed. "The good half—whose parents pay to have this done. It's bad enough we're having home-made cookies. There will be no home-made ornaments! God!" Madison tipped the box and her mother shot her a wearied glance as she bent to retrieve the spilled contents.

Madison's eyes skimmed over the mess. "I'll take this, though." Her eyes twinkled and she realized she just had the most amazing idea. She grasped the sprig of mistletoe between thumb and forefinger.

Two days later, before homeroom, planets aligned or karma bitch-slapped the most popular girl in school because Shelly ran up to her with utterly fantastic news.

"Logan and Lily broke up."

Madison smiled brightly. "Well, Merry Christmas to me." She put a finger to her chin. "Logan finally gave up Neptune High's most notorious slut," Madison pondered. Shelly gasped, eyes wide and hand over mouth. "What? Like it's not true?" She leveled her friend with a look. "How many times did we have to listen to her talk about her mysterious Latin lovah?" Madison mimicked Lily's wicked tone and hair flip. Shelly giggled. "And I so did not need to hear about the flavor of Jeremy West's junk."

Shelly quirked an eyebrow and shifted her books to her opposite hip.

"It's about time Logan Echolls dates the right girl," Madison said as she grabbed the last of her books from her locker.

"You?" Shelly giggled and Madison scowled.

"Yes, me," she replied coldly.

"And you have a plan?" Shelly's eyebrow was somehow on repeat and Madison found she barely tolerated the girl sometimes.

"I do," Madison responded confidently. "It's fool-proof, actually."

"Really? And what, pray tell, is this fool-proof plan to keep Logan Echolls from Lily Kane?"

"Mistletoe."

"You guys broke up? At Christmas?"

Lily wanted to laugh, loud and hard, at Veronica's sorrowful query, but she didn't dare when she saw her friend's soft eyes on the verge of tears.

"Ugh! Logan!" Lily's hands flew up in exasperation. "Veronica." She stepped into her friend's personal space and dropped her hands to Veronica's shoulders. "Logan wanted to wear matching Christmas sweaters and go to the jewelry store together to pick out my present. No. Thank. You." She spun away from Veronica with a hair flip. She caught her reflection in the mirror and struck a pose, complete with hands on hips and pouty lips. "I don't do Christmas sweaters. I do Christmas corsets or maybe Christmas stockings," she said with a wink. "And I don't let any man or boy, because let's face it—Logan's not a man by any measure," Lily continued and made eye contact with her BFF through their reflections.

Veronica looked horrified.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Well, there's, like, one part of him that I might call man-sized, but emotionally," she explained and her hand flattened out and tilted back and forth speedily in mid-air. "Eh. Anyway, I don't need any man," she said for Veronica's sake, "to buy me jewelry."

"Lily," Veronica said and crossed her arms in front of herself. Her eyes took on a hard, no-nonsense glint and Lily smiled. "You're awful. Logan loves you and you love him." She dropped her arms and turned away. She began unpacking her homework. "You'll get back together," she sighed.

"Not likely," Lily disagreed. "I already have two hot, hot, hot, scorching hot dates lined up."

This time Veronica rolled her eyes. "With who?" She inquired. "Lemont and Carlos? Those are just fake guys you made up to scare your mom."

"You'll see," Lily declared. "They'll both be at Madison's party." She gave Veronica a self-satisfied grin and her fingers fumbled with the fastener on her knapsack.

Veronica stood, mouth agape and fingers barely holding onto her notebook, once again horrified. "But Logan will be there!" She chastised. "Oh, Lily." She shook her head sadly then.

Lily sighed heavily. "Oh, for Pete's sake, Veronica! He's not a puppy. He's a guy. He'll crook his finger and have his choice."

"He doesn't want that, Lily! He's not like that! You know he isn't! He loves you!"

Logan moped.

For about a day.

He skipped school, swiped two bottles from his mom's liquor cabinet, and kept to himself in his room.

By midday, he was gloriously drunk and by the end of the school day, he was passed out.

He dreamed of Lily—sensuous lips and breasts and hips—all pressed to him and concentrated on his pleasure. The dream was his basic masturbatory fantasy since their first time.

His lungs grew tight within his chest and he awoke on a sob. He panted in grief and tormented pleasure—a common dichotomy of emotion as far as thoughts of Lily were concerned.

He was fifteen. She was already sixteen and had been pulling away since the summer. She'd dropped hints about college parties and fleet weeks and a make-out that had probably actually been more than that with "some guy" she'd met on the Kanes' trip to Paris in June. He took it with a grain of salt or, to be more precise, as a challenge to prove the full force of his love for her. He thought she wanted more attention not freedom. He thought they were forever. What a fool he'd been, trailing after her with hearts in his eyes and Cupid on his shoulder.

Logan shoved the heel of his hands into his eye sockets and rubbed the sleep out of them. He sighed deeply.

He was a lovesick idiot, embarrassed now by hindsight. He recalled Lily's glinting looks and hair tosses and sashays away after many a vitriolic exchange followed closely by Duncan's wavering eye contact and Veronica's understanding if not placating smiles and tender eyes. Had he been the only blind one?

Logan sat up and dropped his feet to the carpet. He slumped over, elbows on knees, and held his head in his hands.

'This ends now,' he thought.

Luckily, Logan hadn't been at school the day Dick Casablancas hit on her.

"Where's your better half, Dick?" Madison made sure to add a little extra venom on the idiot's name, but he didn't take the hint.

"Sick. So, Maddie, we gonna upchuck the boogie Friday night?"

She stared at him for a beat, maybe two. She took in the shag that fell across his eyes and the hopeful glint that registered in the empirically pretty albeit mostly vacant blue eyes.

"What?" She asked in stunned disbelief, sure he hadn't heard himself.

"You know," he said and, in explanation, performed a quick spin followed closely by a pelvic thrust. "Upchuck the boogie?"

Madison rolled her eyes. "Scram, Dick." She gestured in a kind of backwards wave of her fingers.

He slouched and turned away quickly. He bumped into that loser with the blue streaks in her hair. Madison chuckled as the two made speedy, awkward apologies to the floor.

Lily had caught glimpses of Madison at Logan's elbow all week long. Instead of her usual jealousy after a break-up, she felt a light-ness. She'd been putting up a bit of a front for Veronica the other day because yes, Logan Echolls and Lily Kane had a pattern. They broke up. They got back together. Then they broke up again. Only to get back together after a few days.

She was determined to stop the cycle. She wanted her freedom and, although Logan was sweet and romantic, and getting soooo good at sex, she wanted more. More experiences. More adventures. More men.

Lily was going away to school. She'd already been to Guidance with her plans and list of qualifications for college. She was getting out of here—away from her parents and their no expectations, away from Logan and his many too many expectations.

Lily Kane was fabulous—too fabulous for Neptune, too fabulous to be tied down to a boy or a place or well, anything.

She elbowed Veronica and nodded toward Madison and Logan. When her friend turned to look, she nearly spat out her milk. Lily smiled and Veronica gave her a worried glance as she wiped her mouth with a napkin.

"So, you'll be there?" Madison asked. She gently placed a hand on Logan's forearm and flashed her most brilliant smile, thankful for Dr. Hoffman, DDS and his phenomenal whitening treatments.

"Of course. Dick and I are carpooling," Logan replied with a wink.

"That's sweet," Madison complimented. "You're always so nice to that guy and so good to the environment," she purred.

"Well, you've gotta be passionate about something," he stated over dramatically with a big, false smile and a loud clap.

'Huh?' He seemed to be nattering and Madison wondered if he was still sick since his conversation lacked its usual sparkle. No matter. She had a plan. 'Stick to it, Maddie.' Besides, it wasn't his conversation she was interested in—or, not just the conversation.

"Well, Logan," she said huskily—congratulated herself inwardly for the throaty chuckle that followed. "I look forward to seeing you tonight. I'll be waiting under the mistletoe."

Logan's head pulled back in surprise, but she didn't think she imagined the upturn of his lips or his eyes as he raked them over her body. She pushed her chest out slightly and she traced her finger up his arm until she swiped it lightly across his jaw.

Madison turned and walked away before he could say anything. It was one of only a handful of Lily's bon mots she'd taken to heart.

"Always leave them wanting more."

Sure, she'd always thought Logan was cute in that You're-My-Best Friend's- Boyfriend kind of way and he'd always been sweet to her in the You're-My-Girlfriend's-Best Friend scenario, but lately Veronica had begun to have some not-so-innocent thoughts about the boy who'd, for the last couple of years, had "Property of Lily Kane" not-so-subtlety stamped on his forehead.

She'd begun to wonder at those long fingers; the ones that that often found themselves in the hair at the nape of his neck during third period when she sat directly behind him. 'Need a scalp massage, Logan? Want to give me one?'

She'd lost her breath for an instant one day last week when she'd tripped on the way out of class and strong, muscled arms caught her. After they'd helped right her, she'd realized those strong, muscled forearms and biceps and triceps were attached to a lean, slightly defined chest which led to waist and hips and…oh my! All of which were attached to one Logan Echolls.

But enough was enough already. There was some sort of code, she was sure, about dating or even just lusting after your BFF's ex-BF. And her BFF, Lily Kane—who could give Regina George, Heather Chandler, and Cordelia Chase combined a run for their money—was never kind to any girl Logan looked at twice.

As much as Lily complained about his jealousy, it was obvious the emotion was a two-way street. Lily was possessive and tended to string along both sexes as far as her relationship with Logan was concerned. She trotted boy after boy after boy in front of Logan while they were in the off phase to make him jealous though the irony of that wasn't lost on anyone. Then, if he showed any attention to anyone, Lily made a big show of becoming instant friends with her only to crucify her in some horribly public setting.

It was the side of Lily Veronica disliked. And to be completely honest—feared.

Veronica realized, too, that these thoughts and feelings would only wreck all the relationships she'd grown to cherish. Since her break-up or, more accurately, relationship dissolution due to lack of spoken communication with Duncan, the friendships between the Fab Four had been strained. Veronica hated to think what would happen if Logan and Lily didn't get back together or if she acted on her feelings. There'd be nothing left of their heretofore tight little group.

'Shut it down, Veronica.' She stood. 'Save the friendship.'

She wasn't above allowing Madison Sinclair to dig her own hole, though.

As Madison strode away, movement at a table across the quad caught Logan's eye.

Veronica stood glaring at him, her tiny hands balled into fists at her sides. He smiled slightly, confused as to why her ire might be directed at him. She broke away from the table and marched towards him.

"What do you think you're doing?" She asked on approach.

"Nothing," he said. His eyebrows drew together. "What's up?"

Veronica's arms crossed over her chest and she cocked a hip. Her knee jutted slightly and he remembered how much he loved when she wore her little pep squad uniform. The tiny slit at the side of her "skirt" gave him ideas even when he was with her best friend and she was with his.

"What's up is that you're not helping yourself."

"What are you talking about, Veronica?" He moved to her side and put his arm across her shoulders. He made to walk them over to Dick and Enbom, but she shoved him away.

"Lily's not jealous that you're hanging on every chick you see," Veronica said in a huff.

"Did she send you over here to tell me that?" His head spun to look at his ex, but she stared at her phone, a fingernail between her teeth as a smile formed on her lips.

"No," Veronica confirmed what his eyes already had.

The girl in question was oblivious.

"She didn't send me over here. She's pretending she's fine. She's pretending the two of you are over, but—

"We are over." And maybe if he kept saying it, it would be true.

"Logan," Veronica moaned out softly and his eyes flew to her mouth instantly.

His name across her lips like that unfurled a familiar sensation in his abdomen. And when her tongue swept out to lubricate her side of the conversation, he couldn't focus. He was in trouble.

"Logan! Did you hear me?"

He broke out of his daze. Veronica's arm was raised and her fingers snapped just above his sight line.

"Wh-what?"

"She's not impressed. If you want her back, you're gonna have to—

Logan shook his head slowly as she spoke. "No."

"No? No, what?" Veronica asked exasperatedly. Her eyes were sparkling sapphires, but reduced to small slits as she assessed him.

And this little spitfire thing she was doing today was… turning him on.

He smiled. "No. I don't want to get back with Lily." He leaned closer until his head hovered just above her shoulder, lips too close to her ear. "Do with that information what you will." He leaned back just in time to catch the shiver that wracked her body.

Veronica's eyes went big again for a moment, but she seemed to quickly regain her composure. "Using me won't help," she shot back and crossed her arms in front of her torso once more.

"I'm not the one using you," Logan countered.

"Lily didn't send me over here, Logan."

"Oh!" He pretended surprise. "So, you're the one who's jealous of all the other girls?!"

"What?!" She didn't need to feign surprise, it was obvious she hadn't expected him to flirt. "Don't be ridiculous," she practically spat.

"So, you just came over here to help me win back the ex who," he said and nodded in the direction of the table that was now empty of everything but Veronica's stuff, "isn't even around to see me get my comeuppance?"

Veronica's head swung around to where she'd left Lily. He watched her slump with the sudden knowledge that neither of her friends seemed at all interested in reuniting.

Logan waggled his eyebrows and set his face to resigned. "Thanks for trying, Veronica, but I think maybe we were both mistaken about the depth of Lily's affection for me," he said. He reached out and squeezed her shoulder before he turned to walk away.

"Logan! Wait!"

"I'll see you later, Ronnie!" Logan cried over his shoulder but kept walking. He needed to get away from her. He didn't want her pity and he wasn't sure he could stop thinking about the way her mouth wrapped itself around his name- in a way he hadn't noticed before- if he had to keep looking at the luscious pinks and reds of varying textures which comprised it, if he had to watch her little tease of a tongue dart out in a suddenly erotic peek-a-boo.

Madison smoothed her dress over her hips and admired her hair and make-up in the mirror. She went for minimal—Lily always did and Logan seemed to like it. She'd employed the lightest blush and shadow and only a gloss on her lips. Her dress was minimal, too, and barely covered her ass. The halter style showed off her ample cleavage and she sprayed a very subtle dusting of her perfume there.

"Logan won't know what hit him," she said and adjusted her diamond necklace.

The doorbell rang and her sister called up the stairs, "Shelly's here!"

Madison slid her stilettos on and marched down to her friend.

"Whoa!" Shelly said appreciatively.

"Thanks, Shell." Madison scoped out Shelly's little black sheath dress. "You don't look so bad yourself. Pretty drop dead, actually."

Shelly smiled and did a dorky curtsy.

"Let's get the punch spiked and make sure my parents give us some privacy," Madison instructed.

"Okay." Shelly rubbed her hands together in expectation.

The party was in full swing by nine-thirty. Shelly was hanging all over Duncan Kane, which, Madison wouldn't have allowed except she'd made her intentions towards Logan known and decided to go all in with her plan.

She'd noticed several couples take advantage of the mistletoe hanging in the doorway between the great room and the kitchen.

She saw Logan across the way and waited to catch his eye. He leaned against the mantle, sexy in his dark green Henley and Santa hat. He was talking animatedly with Sean Freidrick and Casey Gant, one of whom said something that sent Logan into a roaring laugh. She smiled.

Meg Manning was suddenly yammering away about nothing in particular on her right and Madison kept smiling, but never looked away from her target. Her smile only faltered when she saw him gaze at Lily, who had just arrived with Veronica Mars and already had her hand on Bodie Chang's ass.

"Don't you think so?" Meg's voice broke through her reverie.

"Hmm?"

"Veronica looks awesome, doesn't she?" Meg repeated.

Madison gave Veronica Mars a courtesy once-over. "Uh, yeah, sure." The girl wore a boring pale pink A-line dress. Madison wasn't sure what was so awesome about it.

She returned her gaze to Logan's fine form and finally! They made eye contact and Madison smiled. Logan gave her a salute and she nodded in the direction of the kitchen.

Logan spoke to Sean and Casey then gave a small wave as he headed in her direction.

"Having a good time?" She asked once he arrived by the doorway.

"Yeah. Nice digs," he said with a charming smile. He looked over the crowd of their classmates. He suddenly frowned.

She snuck a peek, but wasn't sure what could have upset him. Veronica had approached their friends by the mantle and chatted, but there was no sign of Lily. Maybe that was the problem. Had Lily snuck off with Bodie already? 'That girl's got a real libido problem! First that lowlife PCHer, now that doofus surfer who probably rivaled Dick Casablancas on the idiot scale!' Madison thought in disgust.

She turned back to Logan before he noticed she'd looked away. "You guys going to Aspen for New Year's?" She asked. "Because I'll be up there with Shelly's family. Maybe we could meet up. Hang out."

His brow furrowed more severely. She put a hand on his arm and he finally focused in on her. His eyes slid from her eyes to her mouth and pretended to ogle her diamond necklace. She smiled.

"What was that?" He asked and his eyes jumped quickly back to hers.

"Will you be in Aspen again this year?"

"My dad mentioned it, but he hasn't committed either way. But if we do, Maddie," he said and rested his hand over hers. "We've got to get together. You bring your hot friends and I'll bring mine. Someone's bound to get lucky." He smirked and it gave his face such a boyish cuteness that her heart fluttered.

He released her hand and she didn't know absence could be felt so acutely.

"Madison!" John Enbom called from the kitchen. "Hey! Madison!"

She turned away from Logan to address her guest. "Yeah?"

"Do you have any shot glasses?"

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "What do you think this is? A frat house?" Her eyes roved the lightly antiqued wood of the cabinet doors as if memory would supply what was stored behind each one. "Check the cabinets." She pointed nonchalantly.

"Where?" Enbom asked absently as he smiled at Trisha Berringer and she fawned all over him.

Madison caught herself in another eyeroll. "Our peer group, ladies and gentlemen," she said in a snarky aside to Logan. "Don't go anywhere. I'll be right back."

Logan smiled. "Wouldn't think of missing my chance," he said.

Madison dazed and smiled her confusion, even as she headed in to her other guests. She looked over her shoulder at Logan who pointed up at the mistletoe and gave his best puppy dog impression. Madison giggled. 'God! He's finally flirting! I knew last summer wasn't a fluke! I knew he wanted me! If only Lily hadn't gotten bored with her long-distance boy toy.'

As she moved toward the cabinets, she couldn't help but remember the party by the dunes. They'd stolen away, she and Logan. He'd been tipsy and she'd fallen under his weight, but they'd ended up cushioned by a gently sloping sand pile and he'd rolled them until he was half on top of her. She'd arched into him and pushed her mouth onto his. It was sloppy, at first, but evened out once he drew his arms up next to her head for balance. His lips had been soft and his tongue had been persuasive. But when she made the mistake of speaking his name, of asking for more as her hands worked his belt buckle, he'd pulled back. His eyes had almost crossed then closed and he had seemed to decide something or he'd shaken himself back to...?

"Don't," he'd mumbled. "Don't waste yourself on me." He'd rolled away and it hadn't mattered then because Enbom and Dick Casablancas had run up in a warped game of tag and had practically fallen on top of them. The boys had all rough housed for a few moments and Madison had worked to quickly remove herself from the fray.

She'd tried to bring it up with Logan a couple of times, but they always got interrupted by their other friends or the bell. She'd nearly given up. Thank God for Christmas miracles and hokey traditions.

Logan was just about to sneak away to safety. He wasn't sure why he thought leading Madison on was a good idea; he knew he was already in hot water with her for something that happened in the summer. He didn't have any recall, but she'd eluded to a make-out at the beach more than once. He didn't particularly desire a follow-up and he also knew she could be a real bitch when she didn't get her way. He'd claim kidnapping when he saw her later, conveniently not under the mistletoe.

Suddenly, Veronica charged towards him, on his warpath once more. She wore the highest heels he'd ever seen on her—perfect to accentuate tone and supple calves. Calves that led up to her knees where her skirt fell and the place on her gorgeous little body where he wanted desperately to put his lips. The skirt flared out from the waist and God, she was so tiny! They'd been in tickle fights and she'd sat on his lap a time or two when Lily had driven a mess of them to the beach, but the thought of his hands wrapped around that circumference was distracting and tantalizing. He took a deep breath and stood up straighter.

"Logan," she said in greeting. She nodded. No one had ever looked more serious.

"Veronica," he returned, but it was hard to concentrate. One of the spaghetti straps of her dress had dropped to just below her shoulder and there was a torture in it. He wanted to correct the little slip of fabric, slide it back up to where it belonged and, in doing so, give himself a reason to touch her. He wanted to run his fingers across her lightly tanned skin. How soft would it be? How perfect? Would she let him?

"Look, I'm sorry about today. I thought…" She looked away for a moment then right into his eyes. "I don't know what I thought. I guess I was the one hung up on you two staying together." She rolled her eyes at herself. "I guess I'm being sentimental and silly. I was just afraid, you know, that things would change too much. I mean, they already have. Because of me and Duncan…"

"It's okay, Ronnie," he said softly. He hadn't considered all of that. He'd assumed their friendships would persist—maybe not his with Lily right away, but they'd get there.

"No," she said and reached for his hand.

Logan's pulse raced at her touch. She didn't seem to notice as she lightly grasped his palm.

"It's not okay and I wouldn't have had a good holiday if I didn't apologize," she said and she sort-of twisted a bit back and forth in front of him so that her skirt twirled up ever so slightly. Her eyes begged forgiveness though he barely felt wronged and the delicate pink hue of her dress perfectly complimented the blush that now crawled up from the top of her breasts to her neck. Her cheeks soon followed and she was the most charming and feminine specimen he'd ever had the pleasure to peruse.

He smiled and it was all teeth, a goofy grin that paraded his soaring emotions. "Well, we can't have that. Apology accepted and Merry Christmas, Veronica."

She squeezed his hand. Her smile was diminutive, demure. "Merry Christmas, Logan." She turned to walk away and tried to let go, but he held fast. Her face held a question in furrowed brows and slightly parted lips.

He raised his head, motioned for her to look above them. When she did, she smiled another one of her placating smiles. His gut twisted momentarily. He was really beginning to hate them, but this was Veronica—innocent, sweet, friendly, loving, and supportive Veronica. Her intentions were nothing if not pure. She blinked once, slowly, as if she was just awoken from a pleasant dream and the smile deepened. She shook her head and he thought he heard a quiet chuckle.

Logan almost let go her hand. He thought that was the end of it, that she'd understood he'd had to take his chance, but that she hadn't gone for it—that she wouldn't.

But imagine his surprise when she lifted up to tip toe and leaned. He sucked in a breath just as she caught the corner of his mouth. Her eyes were closed and she looked even lovelier and more beautiful close- up.

He turned his head, subtly but swiftly. There was enough time now. It unspooled unendingly once he pulled her top lip between his two. Their joined hands hung between them, but his free hand curled around her jaw.

And, just as he imagined, her skin was downy soft. In fact, it was possible 'soft' was the watchword because her lips were smooth and plump and pliant under his. She was cashmere and silk. In an instant, his world tilted, but it was as if the tilt only righted his whole being. It was as if he was finally at center and he never wanted to stop kissing Veronica Mars. He wanted to memorize the sweet taste of her, be familiar with it, know it. He wanted to feel her lips over his skin everywhere and he immediately fantasized about learning what she liked and learning how she tasted and how good she would feel pressed up against him. But there was time for all that. Instead, he began to concentrate only on her being there, allowing his thumb to stroke fervent, but steady circles across her cheek. He was beholden to her, enthralled.

The kiss grew, little by little, deeper. His tongue travelled along her succulent lower lip and she opened on a sigh. He savored the sound, swallowed it. He breathed it into himself, wished to bring her wholly into himself for further inspection, for further delight, for further easement and serenity.

She pushed closer, wrapped an arm around him, clutched at him and he couldn't have been more relieved or joyous. He brought their joined hands to his heartbeat and crushed them between their bodies. He fought the urge to press her into the doorframe, haul her by her ass up to his waist and introduce her to want. But there was time for urgency and passion later.

His tongue sought hers. He eased in, feathered alongside and she moaned into his mouth even as she sucked at him, asked for more sensation. She tasted like watermelon candy and home, perfection and simplicity. It was as if there was a beacon now, a light on—just for him.

'Everything's okay. Everything's going to be okay,' he thought when he could focus, but her tiny breaths and nips and her kittenish kneading at his bicep were heavenly and maddening all at once. He was so sensitive to her wiles. His skin prickled and tingled everywhere she touched it, and, for as much as she soothed his frazzled mind, she projected full awareness to his entire body. He was very nearly dizzy from the tickle of her nearness.

'Veronica.'

Lily pasted a huge grin on her face as she looked around the room. She wondered if her two friends—because obviously, Veronica and Logan now both fell into that category—could feel all eyes on them. So far it seemed… not.

"Maddie's gonna be soooo pissed." Lily heard Shelly say from off to her left. She looked over at Madison's friend and the girl realized too late she'd put her foot in it. "Shit. Sorry, Lily." Shelly looked away quickly and wrapped an arm around Duncan, who looked less than pleased with the floor show.

"You're not the one who's gonna be sorry," Lily mumbled to herself. She contemplated how she might exact revenge on Madison, on Logan and Veronica, on…?

But watching Logan and Veronica under the mistletoe in the lip lock to end all lip locks brought on an epiphany. 'When does it end?' She wanted her freedom and maybe now she actually had it. Maybe this turn of events was right and maybe it righted them. Maybe it would be stilted and awkward for a while, but maybe they'd all get back on the track to real friendship, real family— how it should be after all.

Lily looked away before the new couple broke apart. Maybe she didn't want Logan for herself, but she wasn't ready to watch him fall in instant puppy dog love with Veronica, either.

'Baby steps,' Lily thought. She hooked her arm through Bodie's and whispered, "Let's get a drink." They untangled and headed towards the action. She focused her eyes on a spot just beyond her kissing friends. Madison stepped into that spot, faced scrunched up in horrid disgust and envy. A bright smile touched Lily's lips.

'This. Finally!' Her brain screamed. This was what all the fuss was about.

Duncan's sloppy fumblings had seemed charming at first. They matched in experience and Veronica felt safe with him. There could be no comparison—with other girls, with other boys. But, by the end of their romance, she'd been bored to tears. The sweet and gentle had been comforting, lulling.

But there was no spark.

And now. Well, there could be no comparison. Truly.

The first touch of firm but oh-so-soft lips and coaxing tongue was the ignition that set her soaring like a freaking rocket ship. Were there such things as Christmas fireworks? Veronica heard the launching and popping and slight hissing sounds of a fantastic light show, but it seemed that it was only shooting off on gorgeous display behind her eyelids.

But this was Logan, the boy she'd sworn off only… yesterday… no, today. God! Her brain couldn't keep up with his lips.

He moaned lightly when her fingers curled just under the fur trim of his Santa hat and into the aforementioned hair at his nape and she pressed infinitesimally closer to him. She swallowed the sound, pulled his breath and tongue across her lips and savored.

This might be her only chance and the mistletoe gave her an excuse. Lily couldn't fault her for honoring a holiday tradition even if the kiss had gone on now for…?

Logan's hand had dropped to her waist and he couldn't for the life of him remember that having happened. But he pressed her closer still and his hand searched up the back of her dress until he reached her naked back. She shivered as his fingers glided between then caressed one delicate shoulder blade. Logan cradled her to him, their hands still clasped between them.

He was a goner. If he thought being in love with Lily was gut-wrenching and all-consuming, then this—with Veronica—was another level all together. He was instantly, fiercely, passionately devoted. With Lily, emotion had always been directed towards attack or defense. Lily wanted sex or space and rarely anything in between. But, immediately, he could tell it was different with Veronica. She kissed as though there was all the time in the world and her touch was… almost… longing.

Veronica was precious, unblemished. In the moment, he desired nothing more than to allow their romance to blossom, let the two of them fall in love like a couple of saps.

Then, she bit slightly at his bottom lip and Logan wanted to devour Veronica. She was delectable and new. Her kisses were drowsy and drugging and he could have spent all night or an eternity under that Christmas flower with her. But breath was fleeting and they broke apart. Although his eyes remained closed, his forehead pressed against hers and he contemplated their synchronized panting.

'Just one more moment. One more moment with her. To memorize it.'

"WHAT. THE. FUCK," Madison asked loudly. And, as Lily's ex and Lily's best friend turned their heads—still leaned each against the other—to answer their interloper, Madison's face screwed up into a snarl even as her mouth hung open. Veronica ducked her head into Logan's shoulder in the cutest display of mortification Lily had ever seen and the smile on Logan's face as he curled around her protectively was gorgeous.

"Curses. Foiled again, eh, Madison?" Lily asked and her hand came to rest on Veronica's back. When the girl jumped at her touch, Lily soothed. She hugged into her friends' cuddle—just a little—to put them at ease and she felt Veronica relax into it.

"You knew about this?" Madison spat. Her eye twitched as she inquired and Lily thought she'd never seen anything so hilarious. The girl had never been a true friend and more of a hanger-on if Lily really considered it.

Lily waggled her eyebrows. She zipped her lips even as they formed a wide smile. It was no kind of answer, but maybe it was the best kind.

Logan chuckled and tightened his embrace on Veronica. He and Lily made eye contact over her head, eyes twinkling and full of mirth. Lily winked at him. Madison balled her fists and growled. She turned and stormed off into the kitchen in an angry huff.

Bodie pulled at their linked hands and, when Lily saw no change in Logan's eyes or smile at the action, she realized she'd gotten her wish, her freedom from one of the sweetest boys she'd probably ever know. For a moment, there was regret and a sharp pang of jealousy. But then she noticed the easy upturn of Veronica's lips as she leaned into Logan's chest, eyes closed and countenance contented and she noticed Logan's hand stroking her friend's shoulder and still smiling like a huge dork.

It was strange that she had missed it all this time. These two were an honest-to-God matched set and almost too darling. They were each in good hands.

Lily blew Logan a kiss and he laughed uproariously. It startled Veronica, who pulled back to look up at him. He kissed the tip of her nose.

She and Bodie moved away. She only had a little while longer with him before she planned to meet Casey—she was a free agent, after all. Plus, she had a responsibility to the masses. Everyone wanted an audience and wasn't it her job to make that happen? She released Bodie's hand and moved a bit behind him. She shoved him via his ass into the room beyond the kitchen and they kissed for a long time in the dimly lit dining room.

She considered again what had just gone on under the mistletoe. Madison's upset and undoing, Logan's snipped puppet strings, and hopefully the start of something beautiful and more deserved. Whatever all that meant, the moment Veronica Mars and Logan Echolls kissed in front of Lily Kane at Madison Sinclair's Christmas party seemed almost as scandalous as sneaking out to the Gant-Mobile for a quickie in the backseat. 'Almost.'

"Hey," Veronica said shyly as Logan looked down at her. She covertly scanned their immediate vicinity. People were avoiding her eyes so it was a cinch they'd all been paying too close attention a few minutes ago. 'Oh, God,' she thought. 'They saw. Everybody saw.'

"Hey," Logan said almost as shyly. His fingers were at the side of her face; they pushed a strand of her hair away. The move was so gentle, his fingers skimmed her skin so lightly the movement left her dizzy.

She blinked slowly. When her eyes focused and caught his again, he smiled softly.

"Veronica," he said and she'd never heard him say her name like that. It was like a whole new symphony had been created around it, like it suddenly turned technicolor after years spent in monochromatic invisibility.

She smiled and his smile grew. She made quite a show of looking around at their classmates. She waggled her eyebrows up at him. "Can we, uh… get out of here?" She wasn't sure how much of Lily's little performance she could trust and she knew Duncan was somewhere in the great room. She considered the implications of Lily catching them and decided she'd worry about her crucifixion later. Logan was worth at least an evening. That kiss was worth at least an evening. Maybe their friends could really be their friends and wish them well.

He kissed her quickly and she dazed. Her heartrate sped up exponentially and she absentmindedly put a hand over her chest. Logan, of course, looked more than pleased with himself.

"I know a place," he said and squeezed the hand he still held.

'Oh, God! Have we been holding hands this whole time?' Outwardly, she gasped. "You don't presume…?"

He rolled his eyes. She chuckled.

"Here's a hint. They make your favorite chocolate milkshake," he explained with a twinkling gaze.

Her lips pulled into a huge teeth and gum revealing grin. Her head fell back onto her neck. "Yummm," she nearly moaned with the thought of said milkshake from Amy's, her new favorite ice cream place.

Logan's eyes rolled back in his head and his eyelids fluttered shut. He pulled his lips together between his teeth. It was a little like torture and she wanted to take a bite out of his cheek at what she hoped was her effect on him. "Cut it out. I'm trying not to presume over here."

She puffed out a laugh and punched him in the shoulder. He reopened his eyes and his face fashioned into a fake grimace. "Ouch! You punch like a ninety-eight-pound girl!"

"Close. Ninety-nine." She winked. "My dad keeps telling me I'm too scrawny, though. Let's see if we can make it to one hundred tonight. I'll let you buy me a milkshake and a cookie." She pulled at their joined hands.

"Wait a minute," he said and he swooped in once more. His mouth landed just at the corner of hers, brushed delicately for only the slightest of moments, but she trembled with the contact anyway.

'This can't be for real! How did I miss all of this?' It was almost unfathomable that one boy could have such an effect on her while another had all the command of a wet blanket. There was a thrill through her veins at the thought of this new adventure. One she would embark on with her friend, a boy she trusted. It was her turn to squeeze their joined hands. He pulled back and they moved, arms swinging between them, towards Madison's front door.

Madison wiped her smeared make-up away. 'Fool-proof, my ass.'

There was a knock at the door. She jumped. "Occupied."

"It's me," Shelly said from behind the dark mahogany.

Madison unlocked the door and let in her friend. Shelly immediately pulled her into a hug. "It doesn't mean anything. He has to be nice to her. She's Lily's bestie." Her hands soothed up and down Madison's back as she spoke.

"Were you at the same party?" Madison cursed her hitching breath. "They were practically drowning in each other's spit out there."

Shelly giggled and Madison tensed. The hands at her back doubled their efforts. "It's okay," Shelly said. "There's still Casey Gant."

Madison sniffled inelegantly and wiped her nose sloppily with the back of her hand. She rested her chin on Shelly's shoulder. "Yeah." She smiled a little at the thought of catching him under that tiny sprig of a plant. "There's still Casey."

End.

A/N: Ah, high school and young love! Maybe this helps explain Madison's complete disdain for and loathing of our girl, too? Hope you enjoyed. Happy New Year and good luck in 2018.