Candy Kane

Summary: Jake Kane didn't know if Veronica was his daughter or not, but either way… he loved her.

Rating: K+

Pairings: Logan/Lilly Duncan/Veronica if you squint

Jake Kane didn't say anything when he woke up on Christmas morning. He didn't want to. He didn't want to go back to reality, he wanted to stay right were he was. He could hear Duncan and Logan making a mess of the kitchen as they tried to bake god only knows what. He could hear Lilly running around the living room with tinsel in her hair and unopened gifts in her hands. He could hear Veronica singing Christmas Carols to herself as she rebaked whatever the boys had made. Celeste was away, so it was only him in the large bed.

"Veronica, can you wake dad?" he heard Lilly ask.

"Sure," came Veronica's voice seconds before the sound of her feet against the tile.

"Mr. Kane," she cheered cheerfully as she entered the large master bedroom. No one really knew why Veronica felt so comfortable in the Kane household. She had no problem helping herself to the food in the kitchen. She had no problem leaning against Jake or Celeste on the couch, as if they were her own parents. So she had no problem jumping onto his bed and crawling over to him. "Mr. Kane, you know Lilly, she'll eat all the food and open all the presents if you don't get up soon," Veronica said with a smile as she stretched out against him.

"Merry Christmas Veronica," he said as he climbed out of his bed. He smiled when he turned around to find her with her arms out stretched. He laughed as he turned around to let her climb onto his back in a piggy back ride.

"Wow, you two look cozy," Lilly said with a smile as she sat herself down on the floor. Duncan and Logan soon followed her. When Jake put down Veronica, he expected her to join them, but she didn't. She sat herself down next to him. "I go first," Lilly chimed as she grabbed her first gift.

By the end of the morning, they had unwrapped all seventy-two gifts, leaving Celeste's untouched. They had a lunch of candy and cake before watching Christmas movies. But as 2:00 came around, Jake had to kiss Veronica goodbye for she had to return home to her father and mother.

Jake couldn't help but notice that as the years died (A/n my mother always said years died), so did his relationship with Veronica. Veronica no longer helped herself to the food in the house. No longer did she lean against him or his wife when she was over. And no longer did she crawl into his bed to wake him on Christmas morning.

Celeste figured out that Veronica was his daughter (A/n I know she's not, but they don't know that at the time) and she became cold to her. She would constantly ask Veronica if it was time for her to go yet. Slowly, the happy times between them all faded till their was nothing left but Christmas and Halloween photos and videos, but they were soon lost and forgotten. The pictures gathered dust and the videos were unwatched. There was nothing left of the friendship they all used to share. As time passed by, Veronica started showing up less and less. Then Lilly was murdered and Veronica disappeared completely. He saw her occasionally and they exchanged pleasantries and the occasional argument, but never would they be like they used to be. Jake Kane knew he would never hold Veronica in his arms again.

Years ago, when Veronica was twelve, he would have expected a wedding invite. Now he knew he'd be lucky to see a picture. Years ago he would have expected to hold her child on Christmas and spoil it rotten, but now he'd be lucky if he even heard of the child. Everything had changed in a matter of five short years.

Fifteen years passed and Veronica was returning home with her husband and children for the Christmas holidays. He saw her in the store as she shopped with her kids, it was only a glance and he couldn't see her face, but he knew it was her.

That night he was on a walk when he saw her. She was in the window of a house. She, her husband, and kids were all sitting on the floor laughing. Her daughter laughed, showing a toothy grin. The blonde child got up and ran over to a black CD player. The little boy ran over to the tree and pulled a candy cane off it. Her husband leaned over and kissed her lips before getting up. It was that moment Veronica looked up. Their eyes connected for a moment and she mouthed two words to him before running after her kids who were laughing.

Jake Kane didn't know if Veronica was his daughter or not, but either way… he still loved her.