He's about halfway to his locker when he understands why.

"Did you hear? Logan Echolls is dating Veronica Mars."

"That skank?"

"I wouldn't let Logan hear you say that if you value your life. Apparently he told…"

Wallace stops dead, turning his head to follow the two blondes' progression up the hallway. He blows out a slow breath and nods his head, walking again toward his locker. Suddenly the weight of the laptop is nothing compared to the weight in his chest.

"Wallace!" Veronica hurries up to him, walking fast and talking faster. "You're not going to believe what happened this weekend…"

"Is this the part where you tell me you're dating Logan Echolls?" He doesn't face her, can't look at her. "Or the part where you tell me you were lying to me the other day about why he used one of the passes I gave you." He slams his locker shut, staring at the yellow face of it rather than at her. "Or is there some other part of everything you conveniently left out?"

"It wasn't like that, Wallace."

"Yeah?" He turns to face her finally, knowing from her reaction that his face is twisted up to match the maelstrom of emotion he's currently riding. "It wasn't like you lied to me? Used me? Again?"

"I didn't use you…"

"Yeah, Veronica. You did." He shakes his head. "The saddest part of it all is that I let you."

Veronica stands beside the table at lunch, her tray in her hand. She looks lost and Wallace hates himself for a minute before he looks up at her. When he sees her face, he glances over at the table across the quad where Logan is sitting and staring at her like he's about to explode.

"What's the matter? Have a falling out with your boyfriend?"

"Wallace…"

"It's cool, Veronica. Go sit with the old crowd. An outcast no longer. You must be all alive inside."

"Wallace." There are tears in her voice and he feels bad, but he's hurt more than anything. "Please."

"Please what, Veronica? It can't be a favor, because you never start those with 'please'."

"We need to talk."

Veronica looks at Logan, then at Wallace. Her eyes are swimming with emotion and tears. Wallace swallows hard and stands up, grabbing his tray. "Don't let me stop you." He turns and walks away, dumping most of this lunch in the trash. He doesn't feel like eating anyway.

Veronica stands in front of his locker, her arms crossed over her chest. She looks miserable and alone. Tears spill down her cheeks as she sees him and she presses her lips together tightly, but he can see the sob catch in her chest. She closes her eyes hard and sends another cascade of tears down her face before opening them and looking him in the eye. "Please?"

Wallace looks from side to side down the deserted hallway. "You can't tell me half of everything, Veronica."

"I need something, Wallace."

He laughs and it hurts. "Yeah? Why doesn't that surprise me?" He mimics her stance, crossing his arms over his chest. "All right, Veronica Mars. What do you need?"

"You." She loses control and Wallace catches her, pulling her into a hug. Her tears burn against his shirt and his neck as he envelops her, supporting her. She's like a rag doll, limp and unable to support herself. "I'm sorry, Wallace," she whispers over and over until the words all run together. He eases her away from him and helps her sink down onto the floor then sits beside her, staring across the hallway, his arms draped over his knees as she sniffles, casting sideways glances he can see out of the corner of his eye.

"What happened?"

She laughs sadly, "Which part?"

"Great. There's more than just the secret boyfriend that you left out?" He starts to get to his feet, stopped as she grabs his arm. He doesn't look at her as he stills, ready to stand at any second.

"My mom's home."

He laughs and it's hard and bitter. "That's just great, Mars. Any other ways you want to ruin my life?"

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah." He stands and looks down at her. "Your laptop's in my locker. You know the combination. Help yourself to whatever you need. Not that you wouldn't anyway."

"Logan thought I was in trouble one day and he came to my rescue. We kissed and it sort of…escalated from there."

"How long?" He doesn't look up from his book as he walks on the sidewalk, her car pacing him.

"Not very. And it wasn't anything really…I mean, it wasn't…" She sighs. "Can you just get in the car?"

"No. I got somewhere to be."

"And I'll get you there sooner." She stops the car and watches as he keeps walking, raising her voice slightly. "Wallace."

He turns and sighs as well. "Look, Veronica, I'm sorry your secret romance went all sour or whatever, but I'm tired of your life being on a need to know basis and me not needing to know. You want to have your secrets and your mysteries, that's fine, but I can't help anymore. I can't be the go-to guy because you've got no one else to go to. I'm not your patsy."

"I know. I…the whole thing with Logan was a surprise and I didn't know…I wasn't sure what it was or if it was real or if it was just some…I mean, it's Logan, right?" She laughs, but it's hollow and unstable. "Please, Wallace? Get in the car."

He shakes his head and rolls his eyes, but walks to the car and slides into the passenger's seat. "Here I go again, doing you favors."

"Well, I'd rather not shout about my sad attempt at a love life to everyone in the neighborhood." She starts driving again, almost as slowly as she'd gone as she'd trailed him. "I was at his house the other night, after…after I saw you. We talked and I told him about what I'd found out…"

"Good to know I wasn't the last to know."

"And everything was going really good. I was…well, we were in the pool house and he went to get something…"

His voice is bitter. "Condom?"

"And while he was gone, I found this huge camera set up." She glances over at him and then away. "Turned on."

"Ouch." He doesn't smile, but he feels it on his lips. "So much for that fairy tale romance?"

"I don't know if it's his or someone else's or if he knew or what, but I just…" She glances at him again and he turns and holds it for a moment until she looks back at the road. "Everyone's used me, Wallace. Eli, Logan, Duncan…everyone but you. And I've used you."

"Yeah. You have."

She bites her lip. "I'm sorry."

He doesn't say anything as she stops in front of his house. He stares down at his hands as she sets the parking brake and turns to face him. He doesn't give her time to say anything more, just hurries out of the car, leaving her alone.

His mom is sitting on the couch when he walks in, a glass of wine on the table in front of her. He glances at the clock then at the glass and sinks down beside her. "Is there more of that?"

"As if I'd give it to you. There's soft drinks in the fridge."

"It's not a soft drink kind of day." He sets his book bag on the floor. "You talk to Veronica's dad?"

"I got a call from Keith, yes."

"You okay?"

"Sure. Fine. I knew what I was getting into when this started. Knew he was married. Knew his wife had left him. Knew I was asking for trouble."

"Runs in the family."

"Ours or theirs?"

"Either. Both." Wallace falls back against the couch. "I don't know what to do, Mom."

"I don't have any sage advice, I'm afraid." She took a sip from her glass and made a face. "Except that wine does not go well with Tootsie Rolls."

"Tootsie Rolls?"

"It was the only chocolate I could find in the house."

"I could go to the store."

She shook her head and leaned back on the couch next to him, wrapping her arm around his shoulder. "I'd rather have you than chocolate, kiddo. You're much more comforting."

"And less fattening."

"Says the boy who didn't see how big I was carrying him."

"Ew, Mom. None of that."

His mom laughed and Wallace smiled and didn't think about Veronica. Much.

Wallace looks up as the door opens and surveys the blonde. She doesn't remind him of Veronica. He doesn't even really see Veronica in her, which given the potential circumstances, is kind of funny because he sees a hell of a lot of Keith Mars in Veronica. "Er, uh. Hey. Is Veronica home?"

"You must be Wallace."

"I must." He manages a weak smile. "Is she here?"

"She's in her room." Veronica's mom takes a step back, her eyes darting over to where Veronica's dad is standing. Wallace sends a glance his way and sees the flash of emotion in his eyes. Wallace is no teen detective, but he knows pain when he sees it. He smiles at him.

"Hi, Mr. Mars."

"Hey, Wallace. How's your mom?"

Wallace doesn't look at Mrs. Mars, doesn't care if she reacts to the loaded question. "She's okay. She says to say hi."

"Tell her I said hello."

"I will." Wallace turns his eyes toward the hall where Veronica is standing in the shadow. "Hey there, Nancy Drew."

"She doesn't have a boy sidekick."

"You're no Batman, girl."

She smiles and he thinks he's seen her cry more in the past week than he probably will for the rest of their entire lives. "Yeah, well, I look bad in a rubber suit anyway."

"I don't want to know how you know that, honey."

Veronica smiles at her dad. Wallace looks at her mom at the same time and feels a tiny surge of victory at her confusion. He looks back at Veronica. Nothing's resolved, but things are better. Besides, she's his best friend. "I was wondering if you had any of those snickerdoodles left."

"No." Her smile turns into a teary laugh. "But I could make some. If you want."

He smiles and shakes his head before nodding. "Yeah. That'd be nice."