Author's note: this is an AU fic. Its pre series AU as well but it officially starts up in season one. Since this is an au fic I will be messing with the time line a little and switching characters around. This fic mostly focuses on the relationships between the characters but veronica will be solving cases with a little help from her friends.

Most importantly, this will be a LoVe fic eventually, with some of my other favorite pairings as well. But I'm going to have some fun first. This is going to be a long one you've been forewarned. oh and I don't own veronica mars, I wish I did though, because if I did there would have been a happy ending.

I don't own Veronica Mars.


Home is where the heart is.

Or at least that's what I've heard. And I'm honestly not sure if I understand that quote.

The way I see it your home is your home and your heart is part of your body. So obviously if you are at home then your heart is there too. Besides if home really is where your heart is then I could consider the cemetery a second home, because part of my heart resides there.

Maybe someday I'll understand what it means.

My name is Veronica Mars. I'm 17 and I've lived in Neptune California my entire life.

My father was Keith Mars, beloved Sheriff of Balboa County. The apple didn't fall far from the tree when it came to the two of us. Not only did I get his quick wit, but I got his keen detective skills too. It had only ever been the two of us. My mother was killed in a car accident when I was only two months old. I have no memory of her but that never bothered me, I had my dad and that's all that ever really mattered.

I may be lacking in the family department but I hit the jackpot when it came to friends.

From the minute I hit kindergarten my posse was formed. There was 10 of us, we did everything together, we were like family. Even in those awkward years when girls and boys weren't supposed to be friends we still were. Normal definitely wasn't the watchword with us. I guess you could say we're like a bag of potato chips. But instead of you can't eat just one, you can never find just one. We travel in packs, always in pairs at least.

Out of the ten of us there was a core four, or the 'Fab Four' as people called us.

Logan Echolls, Duncan Kane, Lilly Kane and me.

Lilly was a year older than us but that had never mattered. And Lilly was crazy. She loved to piss off her parents and would actually devise schemes just to see how mad they would get. Lilly also loved boys, I think she was boy crazy from birth and they loved her too. I mean could you blame them? She was blond beautiful and vivacious. She was my best 'girl' friend.

Duncan was her brother. He was the exact opposite of Lilly, shy, sweet and unassuming. Lilly used to say that her parents loved him and they just tolerated her, which I agreed with in a lot of ways. Their parents were Jake and Celeste Kane the billionaire software moguls. Money was never an issue and when Duncan got sick and was diagnosed with a rare form of epilepsy, that money came in handy. He was ok though, a few pills a day and he was the same old Duncan. Well most of the time.

And then there's Logan. Logan is my best friend. He is my number one guy, second only to my dad. His parents were Lynn and Aaron Echolls the famous movie stars and he hated it because he was always in the public eye. His mother was the closest thing I ever had to a mom. His dad on the other hand, well he's not a very nice man. I know that he beats Logan, he's never come right out and said it but I've seen the physical evidence. Their fights usually end with Logan showing up at my window and sleeping in my bed. But it goes both ways, because my dad and I would fight too, not like that obviously, but I would always end up at his house. I guess you could say that we have a cross between and Pacey/Joey and a Joey/Dawson relationship. Complete with witty banter and sleep overs (much to the chagrin of our parents I might add.) But for us it's more about taking solace in each other. Logan and I know everything about each other, we have no secrets.

As the Fab Four we were the glue that bound the group together. The rest of the group which included, Mac, Dick, Meg, Casey, Luke, and Wallace.

Mac is a computer wiz. She is totally the Q to my bond. She is also wicked cool, she isn't one of those lame computer nerds. But what I like the most about her is her refusal to bow to the social hierarchy. She has punk style all the way. It's part of why we mesh I think.

Dick…well Dick is Dick. And if you don't know what that means you've never been to Neptune. Dick is a man whore extraordinaire. But that's why we love him. His dirty mind and douche bag behavior is almost endearing when you've known him for as long as I have. But despite his antics, Dick has a lot of heart.

Meg is the anti-Mac. She is blond, perky, and a cheerleader. Pep is her mantra. Her family is ultra religious and it drives her crazy. I think that's part of the reason she's drawn to us. We make her feel less sheltered.

Wallace is going to be the next Kobe Bryant. He's the captain and all time high scorer for our basketball team. Basically he's the shit. Bragging? No! never! He's practically a brother to me as well, his mom dated my dad for close to ten years.

And then there is Luke and Casey who are the same age as Lilly.

Luke. There's not much to say about him. He is basically all of us rolled into one. Our group wouldn't be the same without him in it. Luke also has a strange affinity for attracting trouble. It's like he wears a sign that says 'drama welcome.' You'd think that would get old, but it doesn't, it just gives us tons of opportunity to give him shit.

Casey's family is one of the richest in the state, they're into publications, but he is one of the most grounded people I have ever met, well at least in my opinion. When he turned sixteen he got emancipated from his parents. Their idea and his idea of family were two different things and when his grandmother passed away leaving him everything his parents had him kidnapped for reprogramming because they were afraid he'd cut them off. Lets just say that it didn't stick. He didn't cut them off, but he severed almost all ties. He gives them a monthly allowance and a bi-monthly visit and that's about it. His house is the base of operations for our group.


So do you know what happens when it feels like your whole life is perfect and is only going to get better?

Well I do.

Everything goes all to hell.

On October 3rd 2003 our lives changed forever.

Lilly was murdered that day. She was found by the pool at her house with a massive head wound and Duncan was arrested for the murder two days later. His medication was known to cause fits of rage and the fact that he was found with her body didn't help.

But none of us ever believed it, we knew him, he loved Lilly and he never would have done that to her. His parents didn't believe it either. Even my dad who was the one to arrest him didn't believe he was the culprit. So my dad quit his job, became a PI and the Kane's hired him to solve the case.

But the hits just kept on coming.

In June of 2004 my dad left his office, started his car and he was gone. Someone had planted a bomb under the car.

I cried for 3 weeks and I hardly left Logan's room. The entire time he just stayed there with me and held me, the two remaining members of the Fab Four left to put the pieces back together. It only solidified our bond.

That's also how I ended up living with the Echolls. Lynn and Logan basically refused to let me leave and I didn't have the heart or the interest to argue.

When my dad died I was left with the only family I had left…my friends and I was already two short.

So now, with a little help from my friends, I'm trying to find justice for my best friend and for my father.

And that is where this story begins…


So what did you think! review please!

Authors note: a few things for you to remember before I post the next chapter: don't let this prologue fool you, this will not be an overly angsty/somber fic. there will be a mix of all worlds angst/romance/comedy and of course a few surprises along the way.

in the series the catalyst for Veronica cutting her hair and changing her style was the rape. in this story it is her father's murder. in this story there has been no rape, but that doesn't mean there won't be one.

and don't forget that I am a loyal LoVe fan who loves happy endings.

I try to update as often as is possible.