A/N: You are all so smart and awesome for getting my Buffy reference in the previous chapter - good job I bought a LOT of cookies! Double chocolate chip, of course ;-) Thanx for the reviewage and here we are at the final chapter!
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)
Chapter 13 - Sincerely Yours
It was certainly a sight to behold in the Neptune High Library. Today had been a Saturday of ups and downs, that was for sure, and by Monday things might be very different again. For now, the five almost-strangers that had been flung together in detention today were considering themselves friends, however temporarily, and as such they were working together at making their last couple of hours here as enjoyable as possible.
The booze had been flowing, secrets had come out, and both laughter and tears had been shared. Now the angst and arguments were over, and Dick had decided that what they really needed was to have a party, with music. Mindful of the Vice Principal's presence somewhere beyond the door, the teens had the volume dialled down some, but still managed to rock out via the surfer's I-Pod. None of them were much for dancing, except Dick who looked like he ought to be in a mosh pit the way he was diving around. Mac bobbed along happily, even singing some of the words to Bohemian Like You, until she found her hand being grabbed and Dick pulled her from her seat, encouraging her to 'boogie' with him.
Veronica laughed at their antics as she tapped her feet along to the rhythm, sat between Logan and Weevil who refused to make fools of themselves apparently. As the song ended, and Dick asked if there were any requests for the next, Veronica's eyes flitted to the clock above their heads and she sighed.
"I'd make that the last dance, Dick" she warned him, as she hopped down from the desk she'd been sat on and headed for the door.
"What's up, V?" asked Weevil and she turned back to look at both him and Logan who looked equally inquisitive.
"Clemmons expects to find me in solitary" she reminded them, "He'll come looking before he lets you guys out so I better move" she said, sparing the gang a brief wave before peering carefully around the door and making a swift exit.
"She really is somethin'" said Weevil, shaking his head.
"Yeah, she is" agreed Logan, still staring at the door through which Miss Mars had disappeared.
Today had been the weirdest of days. A little over a year ago, he would've called Veronica the love of his life. Just yesterday, he would've told anyone who would listen that she was a heinous bitch. Today, he could look upon her as a friend in the strangest way, just as he could call each person here in the library, much more than an acquaintance now. Still, Veronica had to be different. Keeping her as a enemy was impossible, and he ought to have known it. Being her friend from here on out would never work either. There was only one option left, he realised suddenly, and was up from his seat in a moment, heading for the door.
"Where are you going?" asked Mac as Dick turned her around to the tune of The AM Project's latest hit, suddenly facing the door and realising that Logan was about to leave.
He didn't answer her, didn't even look back, just kept walking like a man on a mission. The truth of the matter was, that was exactly what Logan felt he was as he crept past the Vice Principal's office door and then strode off down the corridor. Veronica had been a little vague about the room she'd been locked in, but there were a limited number of places to look. Logan tried a couple of doors before he finally found the one he was searching for, opening it up to the sight of Veronica, sat cross-legged on the floor, playing solitaire with what appeared to be Weevil's pack of cards from their earlier poker game.
"Logan" she looked up at him with some surprise, "What are you doing here?" she asked, as he turned to close the door.
"We need to talk" he told her, holding out his hand for her to grab onto and pull herself up off the floor.
No sooner was she on her feet than his lips were on hers. The move took Veronica by surprise, but it wasn't long before she recovered, kissing him back in equal measure.
"So, Mac" said Weevil as she returned to her seat at last, "You gonna finish writing your paper?" he asked, showing her the half-written essay he'd found on her desk.
"I guess" she shrugged, "Can't think you're going to bother" she smiled, unable to help herself, especially when he grinned back at her.
"Am I that obvious?" he asked rhetorically, "Like Clemmons really wants to know what I think about me" he shrugged.
"Dude, I didn't even start" said Dick coming over to join the conversation now he had put his I-Pod back in his bag, "What the hell was I gonna write?"
"If you don't turn in your paper, you'll be in worse trouble than you are already" Mac told him, at which Dick at least looked a little concerned.
"Hey" Weevil suddenly snapped his fingers, "What's the point in all of us bustin' our asses to write this stuff. We got a brain right here that could write somethin' good enough for all of us"
"You want me to write five essays about all of you?" asked Mac with wide and disbelieving eyes, "Not gonna happen" she said definitely.
"How about just writing one but for all of us?" suggested Dick with a dangerously thoughtful look that could not lead to any good.
Still, Mac was intrigued and couldn't help but ask what he meant by that. Just as soon as he had explained his plan she smiled, knowing she could totally do this.
"Logan" gasped Veronica as she finally broke the kiss between them, "What are we doing?" she asked, feeling so very confused and yet unable to keep from smiling.
This was the most insane thing she'd done in a while, and yet it felt so good. Veronica really wasn't sure what to make of this new turn in her relationship with Logan Echolls. From friends to more, to mortal enemies and sparring partners, and now here they were with their arms around each other, both breathless from a deep kiss that somehow felt as if it had been too long in coming.
"I don't know" he admitted, smiling as much as she was, in spite of the fact he was heard just yesterday making awful remarks about Veronica to his friends, "I just don't want to feel guilty anymore, for what we were to each other" he told her, explaining as best he could how he was feeling.
She took a shaky breath as she took in those words, and his hand brushed stray hair from her face, the strangest sense of familiarity passing through them both. All this had happened before, not in this exact place, but they had been this close, said similar words to these, and realised in a moment that they wanted each other so much more than they ever should.
"I guess, since we're both single now, nobody could really say anything" she considered, "but they will, Logan" she promised him, as if he didn't already know.
Still the smile didn't shift from his face, turning a little more into a smirk as he held her close.
"Just think about it" he told her, almost laughing, "We walk into school on Monday morning, hand in hand. It'll blow every person's tiny mind" he grinned.
Veronica couldn't help but let out a burst of laughter at that, not just literally at the words he'd said but also out of pure relief. This war with him, and with herself, was over. They could be together, after too long of loving and fighting and feeling far too many mixed emotions. Screw the world, their peers, their families. They wanted to be together and they were going to be. Logan looked as determined as she felt, and for the first time in a long time Veronica Mars found a genuine smile creeping onto her lips.
Mac was just finishing off the group essay for Mr Clemmons when Dick grew bored of watching Weevil trying to get balls of paper into the waste bin by throwing them over his head, and wandered over to sit down on the seat beside her.
"What's the what, Macky Mac?" he asked her, throwing an arm across the back of her as he leant into her personal space to see exactly what she was writing, "You almost done?"
"Just finished" she told him, unaware of how close he really was until she completed the last line and turned to look his way.
"Cool" was all Dick said as he grabbed up the paper and read the words she had written.
Mac honestly wasn't sure whether she was more embarrassed by his reading her paper or the fact he was so close right now. She could feel the warmth of his body and his chest moving in and out as he breathed. If she was so inclined, she could lean just a little to the right and practically be held in his arms, but she didn't want to do that, of course she didn't...
"Dude, that is awesome!" the blond exclaimed with apparent excitement, "Clemmons is gonna be stunned"
"Thank you" replied Mac, playing with her pen, only looking towards Dick again when she felt his fingers brush her hair, "What are you doing?" she asked in a small voice, swallowing hard as she read the look on his face as something she had never seen before outside a movie.
Cindy Mackenzie was loathe to admit that she'd never been kissed, but she actually hadn't. Something told her all that was about to change and as much as she knew she probably ought to run screaming from a womaniser like Dick, she couldn't do it. She had seen a different side of him today, and besides, whatever happened tomorrow, or Monday, or whenever, was irrelevant. They'd all decided just to live today for what it was. This was why, when Dick leant in even closer, his lips seeking hers, Mac just closed her eyes and let it happen.
A strangely warm feeling hit Mac the moment Dick's lips touched hers, not just where the contact was made, but through her whole body. He was gentler than she expected, as his arm came off the chair and slid around her shoulders, pulling her closer still as he kissed her. The moment was gone as fast as it began, and Mac's eyes popped open to stare across at the guy who just gave her the very first kiss of her life.
"Huh" was her oddly non-intelligent response, at which Dick smiled.
"Not the first girl I made speechless, babe" he winked, making her want to laugh, cry, and hit him all at the same time.
Instead of doing any of these things, Mac chose the shockingly brave tactic of reaching out to grab a handful of his T-shirt, pulling him in til their lips met again. She liked this whole kissing thing, and she liked Dick Casablancas, of all unholy things! But today was a day when anything was possible, and she was going to make the most of it before this crazy time ran out.
Finally, Saturday detention at Neptune High was dismissed. Five students had entered the building this morning, but it would be hard for anyone to believe that the same five were leaving together now. As they exited down the front steps, there was smiles and laughter aplenty. Mac walked beside Dick, his arm around her shoulders, as next to them Veronica and Logan held each others hands. Weevil was the first to walk away, towards his waiting bike, taking a moment to bump fists with Logan and spare the rest of this odd group of new-found friends a smile.
Mac saw her mother's car headed towards them. Mindful of what her reaction might be, Mac leant in quick to give Dick a kiss goodbye for now. They fell into the moment, perhaps a little too deeply, as Veronica told them they ought to get a room. Dick dared to flip her off as he continued to kiss Mac til her knees almost gave way. She came out of the moment gasping for air and moved away from the blond just in time, as Veronica slugged Dick in the arm for daring to make such gestures at her. They were both laughing anyway as he moved away to his own car that had just now pulled in beside Mac's mother.
Left alone on the steps of the school, Logan and Veronica turned to face each other. He chuckled as he noted once again the difference in their height that had always been awkward, making a big deal of stepping down two more stairs so their faces were closer to being level. Though Veronica opened her mouth to complain, she found she was not given the chance as he pulled her into a kiss. Sure enough, she forgot to argue in that moment.
From the window of the library, Mr Clemmons watched the exchange with a strange kind of awe. He was certain out of all his students here at Neptune High that Logan Echolls and Veronica Mars had the most hate for each other he'd ever seen in all his years. Perhaps he was wrong, and not just about them. This he realised as he picked up a piece of paper bearing his name and read the words Mac had written on behalf of the five students in detention today...
Dear Mr Clemmons,
We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was that we did wrong. What we did was wrong, but we think you're crazy to make us write this essay telling you who we think we are.
You see us as you want to see us, in the simplest terms and the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a geek, an idiot, a criminal, an outcast and a jackass. Does that answer your question?
Sincerely yours, the Neptune High Breakfast Club
- The End -
A/N2: So, what do you think? I really enjoyed writing this so I hope you all enjoyed reading it, from the feedback I've been getting it certainly seems that way so yay! :-) I have another VMars fic in the works already, heavy LoVe focus but a total AU... actually, its based on another movie... Keep an eye out ;-)