A/N: This next part is less an 'added scene' and more something I would've liked to have seen. And since this story has already become much longer than I'd intended ... and I figure you guys won't mind if I veer off a bit from canon ... :)

Let's pick up from canon just as Veronica is leaving the "Blast from the Past" dance.

Veronica quickly weaves her way through the parking lot, the echo of Cyndi Lauper reminding her that time after time she has no one waiting.

She'd been fighting tears since she left the gym and knows that the combo of seeing Duncan with Meg (even though she honestly doesn't want him anymore) and the emotionally exhausting stay at the Sunset Regent have officially taken a toll of her.

With her car insight Veronica lets the first tear slip down her cheek. She's so focused on getting the keys out of her bag she doesn't see that she's got one more surprise for the night until she's almost tripping over it.

She catches herself by leaning into the side of her LaBaron and takes in the prone figure of Logan - wearing dark sunglasses, a white dress shirt and (she hopes) underwear - sitting on the ground, back resting against her door.

"Logan?" She quickly wipes at her face to hide the fact that she's been crying.

He turns his head up towards her, "Veronica!" he says with a lopsided smile. "How was the dance?" From seemingly nowhere he produces a flask and takes a large gulp.

"Don't suppose there's Koolaid in that flask?" Veronica asks, clearly already knowing the answer.

Logan dissolves into giggles, confirming Veronica's suspicion that he's already drunk. "Only if they've started making vodka flavored Koolaid."

"Only when it was made with the vodka in my moms water bottle." Veronica quips and instantly regrets it. Mention of an alcoholic mother - even if this reference was about her own - would probably hit a little to close to home for Logan given the last 24 hours.

He raises his flask high, "Here's to our booze hound mothers! They should've gotten together more to swap drink receipts." He toasts and takes a long drink.

Veronica plucks the flask from Logan's hand before he can take another. He looks at her through his dark sunglasses and she thinks he's about to object or complain, but instead he reaches up to tilt his sunglasses down the bridge of his nose taking a long look at her outfit.

"Desperately Seeking some Risky Business?" He finally asks, laughing at his own joke.

Veronica smirks a little at his attempted humor. "I never really seek it, but somehow it always seems to find me. Come on, let's get you up." She reaches out for Logan's hand.

"Or maybe let's get you down?" He suggests pulling on her hand harder than she'd expected and she easily topples off her heels.

Veronica lets out a yelp as she falls, but drunk as he may be, Logan easily catches her and she ends up in his lap. She wants to be annoyed, but the rush of the fall has her giggling along with Logan.

He takes a good look at her while she's laughing and sees the tear tracks on her face, "Why were you leaving the dance early?" He asks.

Her laughing ebbs and looks at him, "Why are sitting by my car drunk instead of going to the dance?" she counters.

Logan nods as if her question's a fair one, but ignores it, "Why were you crying Veronica?"

The look on her face lets Logan know that she's surprised by this question and she, almost unconsciously, reaches for her face. "I ..." she trails off quietly looking back at the school for a second. Dimly a light flickers in Logan's mind and he knows that their combined past would present a number of reasons why she would leave the dance early in tears.

Dances were where the 4 of them shined. Lilly loved dances - especially the ones they never made it to. The absence of Lilly, the fact that Duncan was in there - and according to the text Logan had received from Duncan not 15 minutes ago - waiting for his current crush Meg to arrive so he could sweep her off her feet would contribute to Veronica leaving the dance.

Logan reaches up, almost unconsciously, and wipes the rest of the wetness from her cheek. Veronica looks back at him slowly, unsure, but not moving away from him either.

"You know, what you said at the hotel?" Logan almost is whispering and she inches a little closer, "About how I'm not alone?"

Veronica nods, caught up in Logan's eyes.

"Well," He rubs his thumb softly against her cheek. "Neither are you."

Veronica feels the pull again, to kiss him and she wants to both beat it down and welcome it with open arms.

Before she has the chance to decide, the sounds of footprints and a startled "Oh Sorry! I didn't mean to interru ... Veronica?" breaks the silence.

Surprised, Veronica looks up from Logan's lap to find Leo standing at the front of her car, clearly confused.

TBC

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