Title: White Paper

Rating: T to M

Spoiler: Future fic, slightly AU, set during senior year of college

Disclaimer: VM's characters and universe belong to Rob Thomas.

Summary: Veronica has a secret, a good one.

Author's Note: Thank you steenbeans for beta'ed this chapter!

Past

Veronica Mars knocked on the door and took a step back. After a while, the door opened.

He looked at her, and smirked. He leaned on the door frame, leering at her. Veronica raised her chin, daring him to say something inappropriate, but he didn't. He stepped aside, and let her into his apartment penthouse.

Veronica stood in the middle of his living room. She sighed and muttered, "Let's get this over with."

He chuckled. "You could be more excited about it."

Veronica looked at him coldly. "Trust me. I'd rather stab myself in the eye with a spoon."

He walked slowly towards her. He put his hand on her cheek, stroking it. "Trust me, baby. You're gonna enjoy it…" He lowered his head and kissed her. Veronica closed her eyes, fighting back the hot stinging tears that were forming.

Present

Veronica woke up with a start. She looked around and realized that she was in her own room. She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, and sighed. She sat on the edge of her bed, looking at the window where the sunlight came into her room.

She walked to her window, and opened it. She could feel the morning ocean breeze welcoming her; the sound of seagulls greeted her. She looked at the glittering ocean and sandy white beach, and she felt at peace for a while. She loved her new apartment, even though it was smaller than the previous one she'd had with her dad.

It was a small studio with a bathroom and kitchen. Veronica had decided that she should get her own place, although Keith had been adamantly against it. But their relationship had been strained for a while, especially after the sheriff's election, and the scandal with The Castle. Keith may not have blamed Veronica for everything that had happened, but there was still a lingering awkwardness that made her feel guilty.

Veronica had decided that they needed some space.

She'd thought that Keith would be much happier if he lived his own life, rather than cleaning up after his daughter's mess. Especially since she was no longer going to be an FBI agent. Her involvement in so many cases in Neptune had made the agency rethink her work, and they'd decided that they wouldn't accept her. So that summer, she'd been an FBI intern. Afterwards, she wasn't anymore.

But she didn't regret it; she couldn't be a government agent anyway. She'd spent her life breaking rules, and justifying everything she'd done to get even. There was no way she would have been able to follow all of the government's rules.

She'd also done something unthinkable...

No one knew what she'd done. No one knew that she'd gone to great lengths, and done something despicable. She knew her friends and family wouldn't understand… especially Logan. She would bring the secret to the grave.

I've got a secret… A good one.