Chapter 14

Veronica had no idea what to do. She had gotten Lilly cleaned up and put her to bed in her room before returning to Lilly's. It was after 3am and their parents had not come home yet, they were probably staying the night at a hotel, she guessed as she searched for where the dust pan, broom and vacuum were kept. Returning to Lilly's room she cleared away all the shattered glass leaving behind an almost bare room, void of any decoration. She wrapped the glass in paper and before putting it in trash bags and carrying it out to the garbage bin. The sky was starting to lighten she paused and took a deep breath of the crisp fall air. The nights had cooled but she knew that with the sun warmth would return. She looked back at the house not knowing what she should do. Sleep would be needed but Lilly was in her bed and Veronica would not feel comfortable in Lilly's there was also the problem that her brain was running a million miles an hour.

Veronica sat down on the stair by the front door and leant back against the wall closing her eyes. The photo of Lilly running the red light camera suddenly had a whole new meaning. That was the day everything had changed. How had no one realized. A year ago, even just a month ago hearing Lilly was pregnant would have not surprised Veronica or made her think twice about how Lilly had gotten pregnant. Everyone knew Lilly was… experienced, to put it nicely. But spending time, even just a little over the last month, Veronica had seen a different girl. One who was broken, Veronica now realized,

"Locked out," Veronica opened her eye's and looked up at the boy interrupting her thoughts. She turned silently motioning to the front door standing wide open.

Closing her eyes again she took another deep breath opening them again as she felt him sit down beside her,

"What are you doing here?" Veronica asked putting a little space between them as she felt his leg against hers,

"I could ask you that same question," Logan eyed her legs as Veronica straightened her skirt trying to pull it down wondering why she hadn't taken the time to change.

"Again I repeat, what are you doing here?" Veronica, glaring at him, snapped.

"Did your boyfriend break up with you?" Logan asked with a smirk.

"He's not my boyfriend," Veronica hissed,

"Aaaah, so that's the problem," Logan grinned loving the glare directed at him. It was a good distraction.

"You're a jackass," Veronica mumbled giving up on the peace and quiet.

With a huff Veronica stood up and moved to head indoors hoping Logan would take the hint. She swung the door on the way past but instead of the sound of it closing there was a grunt as it hit Logan,

"Rude much," Logan closed the door behind him,

"Don't remember inviting you in," Veronica offered in response.

Realizing he was still following her as she entered the kitchen she stopped blocking his entrance.

"It is not even seven yet, it barely past six. Do you mind coming back at a more decent hour when there might be a chance of someone other than me dealing with you," Veronica asked,

"Hey I have spent more time in this house than you ever will. This place is like a second home to me. No one has ever objected before, you except for Celecte." Logan replied putting his hands on her shoulders and moving her aside as he headed to the fridge.

"Yeah but Duncan does not live here anymore and as far as I can tell you and Lilly aren't on speaking terms," Veronica said grabbing the milk off him as he raised it to his lips, "Gross, other people have to drink that too,"

Veronica moved over to the cupboard and pulled out two glasses filled them both and passed one to Logan before taking a seat at the counter. Logan sat next to Veronica and turned to face her his leg brushing against hers again.

"Must you," Veronica scooted away a little breaking the contact.

"Am I making you nervous," Logan smirked,

"No," Veronica jumped off her stool putting some distance between them.

"You seem jumpy. Is there something you want to tell me," Logan took a drink of milk while following her movement with his eye's, "Are you always this high strung because if I hadn't heard the rumors I'd tell you that you need to get laid," he grinned as she once again glared at him,

"Out. I have had enough of you, I've had no sleep and I can't deal with you at the moment,"

Veronica took his glass, placed it in the sink walked back around the counter behind him and gave him a push. The moment she touched him she felt him wince,

"Logan? What…?" Veronica pushed his shirt up slightly before he pulled away spinning to face her,

"So one minute you want me to leave, the next trying to take the shirt off my back. Someone can't make up their mind," Logan took several steps back brushing her off each time she advanced toward him,

"Stop. Logan, stop," Veronica grabbed his shirt.

"Mind your own business, Mars," Logan push her hands away but Veronica was persistent.

"That seems impossible these days," Veronica sighed giving up, "You obviously came here for a reason, let me help," she let him go, took a step back and waited,

"Lilly usually helps me," Logan sat eyeing her nervously,

"Lilly isn't available at the moment," Veronica shared softly,

Slowly Logan turned from her. A few moment later he attempted to shake his shirt off, wincing at the movement before Veronica stepped up to finish the job. She handed him his shirt as she studied his back. Ugly welt pushed out from his skin with dried blood mixed in. Veronica slowly examined his back testing it with her fingers softly until she came to an imprint that had obvious caused most of the bleeding,

"Who did this?" Veronica asked softly, "This looks like a belt buckle. Were you whipped with a belt?"

Veronica didn't wait for a reply, she wasn't really expecting one, as she disappeared from the room.

Logan watched her go. He didn't know why he had given in to her. This was not something he shared with just anyone, Lilly had been an exception but she already had suspicions. She had seen the scares many times during there time together. Mrs Navarro had been with them for five years, she had always just known what to do. She could just look at him and know. He hated that she had been fired. It was not something he would admit but Logan had looked on her as a grandmother figure, always ready with cookies and a glass of milk to hear about his day.

Veronica rushed back into the kitchen hands full of bandages and antiseptic creams. Moving Logan back to the counter she had him sit back down on the stool. Moving to the sink she wet a cloth. Coming up behind him she hesitated,

"This is going to hurt," She told him before touching the cloth to his back. She pulled back as he winced, "sorry,"

"That's okay," he looked over his shoulder, "I can take it,"

"I believe you," She told him as she started again, "but you shouldn't have to,"

He didn't reply. Silently she cleaned away the dried blood being careful around the broken skin. She studied the scars on his back as she went. She could tell that some of them were long healed while others other only were more recent. It was a sign of ongoing abuse. The most obvious answer was a family member. Usually the father. Mother was a possibility. He had a sister but she wasn't around from what the tabloids said.

Picking up the antiseptic she pushed some out onto the tip of her finger. Softly she applied the cream to the cuts. Veronica could feel him tense ever so slightly. He was strong. If she could not see the wounds, wasn't touching him she would have believed he wasn't hurting.

Logan had obviously come here for help. For Lilly. Lilly must have known about Logan's abuse. had she helped him in the past? Veronica stepped back and looked at her effort,

"You really should see a doctor," Veronica told him as she started to wrap the bandage around his torso, "talk to my dad,"

"Mind your own business," Logan hissed.

"You just made it my business," she tucked the end of the bandage in securing it, "I can't un-see this,"

"Try," he stood abruptly grabbing his shirt.

"Logan," he glared at her, "I'm just going clean this up."

Veronica made a quick job of cleaning up the supplies and disappearing from the room. Logan watched her leave. He walked from the kitchen following the well known path to Lilly's room. All he wanted to do was hide out with Lilly as he usually did after his father latest punishment. Lilly's door stood open. It was unusual. Lilly liked her privacy. He stopped in the doorway. The light shinning in the window revealed a very different room than he was used to seeing.

As requested some Veronica and Logan interaction, Though this was mostly written before I posted the last chapter. Was it worth the wait? Please let me know what you think. Reviews encourage me to continue.