Veronica ignored him, moving past the laughing hyenas of Dick and Beaver. Logan slid off the table and moved along behind her.

"Aw, c'mon, Mars. How 'bout a body shot for old times' sake?"

"Leave her alone, Logan."

Logan stopped, his mouth curving into a wicked sneer. "Tell me, Duncan, was your first time magical? The first time you actually remember, that is."

Duncan put his arm around Veronica. "Come on. Let's get out of here."

"Did you tell him you blew me in the pool house, Mars? Did you tell him I fingered you in the same place my father fucked his whore of a sister?"

Duncan turned, roaring with rage as he launched himself at Logan. They hit the cement in a hard splatter of blood, swinging at short range until someone kicked them both into the pool.

"Wow, it's clear you've been reading that copy of How to Win Friends and Influence People I got your for Christmas." Veronica sat on the edge of the bed and touched the vivid swollen cut above Logan's eye. He didn't flinch away even as she applied pressure. Pulling her thumb away, she glanced around the pool house. "Are you working on pissing off the gods of Karma or Feng Shui?"

"I like to record myself jerking off. Reminds me I've got a better partner than Duncan."

She unbuttoned his shirt and separated the material, sucking in her breath at the dark bruise on his ribs. "Or maybe you're trying to catch Lilly haunting you."

"I think it's pretty clear that the only thing Lilly wanted from me was an excuse to be here in case my dad came home" He lifted his hips as she guided his jeans down his legs. "Or the next richest thing to hang off the arm of."

"This self pity is really attractive," She assured him as she slipped out of her jeans and panties before moving to straddle him. "No wonder I had to fight my way through the line of girls out there."

He grasped her hips, wincing as she sank down onto him, even the slight pressure of her weight, her hands on his chest sending shooting pain throughout his body. "Trust me, Mars. The last thing I need is a pity fuck."

"Oh?" She gasped as the fingers of one of his hands found her clit. "Then what am I?"

"You're a pity fuck," he acknowledged. "The difference is I'm pitying you."

She checked the tape system before she left and he just smiled. His face ached - what he deserved, he supposed, for letting Veronica Mars sit on it - but the grin was worth it.

He got out of bed and opened the dark panel in the wall, easing the tape out of the recorder. His dad's system was nice, but showy. For all his 09er glory, Logan liked thing simple.

Putting the tape in the player, he watched it as it rewound. His smile widened and the cut on his lip split further. He licked it and tasted blood and Veronica Mars.

Definitely worth it.