I just made some changes to grammar. I realize that it is not the best grammar and I apologize for that. I don't have proof reader and I am not that great at catching my own mistakes (especially spelling and punctuation. they don't teach that in schools anymore!). I looked for tense but I make no promises.

Chapter 1

Veronica was lying in the room she'd been staying in since Logan left one hundred and eighty days ago. She has been waiting for this day ever since then, the day he came back. She didn't sleep much the night before and you could see it in her eyes, but you could also see excitement, anticipation, and pure happiness in her eyes as well. A lot has changed in the last three months. Her mom was back in Neptune along with her little brother, Hunter, who was six. She spent a lot of time with him after finding his sister and the truth behind her "abduction" over spring break. Veronica didn't mind though it was refreshing having conversations with someone who had seen evil in the world and yet still saw it as a good and kind place.

Lamb was serious about arresting her mother as an accessory to the con her husband and stepdaughter attempted and he succeeded too. The jury of her peers and the justice system failed Lianne and found her guilty of all charges. The public outside of Neptune could see she wasn't guilty but it didn't matter in the corrupt city. Veronica was lying on her bed thinking back to the courtroom when Lianne was sentenced for crimes she didn't commit. There was no leniency, four years with chance of parole with good behavior. Veronica and Keith sat there shocked. She remembered the look on her mom's face as she turned around after her sentence was delivered. Tears streaming down her face as fear and despair fought to take control of her mind. Before the guards took her away she told Veronica, "I love you, please make sure Hunter is safe and tell him I love him too. I don't know what I'm going to do, how I'm going to survive this."

Veronica barley had time to respond but she did. "I love you to and so does Hunter, he'll be fine after all he's with us." she looked to Keith who was nodding. "He'd much rather be with you but we'll keep him safe, promise." That was the last time she saw her mom outside of a state prison. Veronica kept thinking through it over and over again, the events that led to that conversation. If you had told her even four months ago that she would be telling her mom that she loved her she would have laughed in your face. But when Lianne stayed in Neptune after everything that happened Veronica started spending time with her and Hunter, getting to know both of them. It was awkward especially at first but as time went on the pain Veronica had been keeping bottled up from her mom's past mistakes started to dissipate and Veronica allowed herself to feel love towards Lianne and Hunter. Before she was charged, Lianne made sure that Veronica would be Hunter's legal guardian if she would be sent to jail or in the case that something ever happened to her.

Veronica was brought back to reality by the blaring alarm clock on her nightstand. The second she heard it go off she jumped out of bed and rushed to the bathroom to get ready for the day. She was out of the bathroom in record time and dressed even faster than that. By the time Keith and Hunter came stumbling into the room Breakfast was almost ready to be served.

Keith walked up to Veronica and placed his hand on her forehead, "Who are you and where is my daughter? I would really like to have her back soon, if you would be so kind." There was a new energy to Keith over the past few months. He no longer needed the cane to walk and he seemed to have more energy, at least when Hunter was around.

"Oh shut- be quiet you know the daughter you love so dearly has been driven away for the foreseeable future" she responded remembering Hunter was sitting at the counter waiting for breakfast.

"Uh-oh Hunter it looks like we're in trouble Veronica's boyfriend is coming back today. It's gonna be a long haul of cooties and kissing." Hunter and Keith pretended to gag.

"Just sit down and eat your breakfast, both of you. You're in a good mood for one second and they act like you've lost your mind." Veronica mumbled clear enough for Keith to hear her, placing the plates down in front of two of the guys in her life that she loved.

After Breakfast Veronica helped Hunter get dressed. She gave him three options for shirts and three options for shorts. He chose black shorts and his red Iron Man shirt. After he changed his close he turned away from Veronica slightly trying to hide form her. She stared at him quizzically, "Hey you okay? What's going on?" She waited for a few minutes but Hunter didn't say a word he just stood there looking away from her. Keith had an extra room in the house that was converted from an office to a bedroom for Hunter when Hunter came to live with Veronica. They got all of his belongings from Tucson and got him a few new things when he moved in. "You know if you don't answer my questions I'm going to have to get my partner, the tickle monster, to tickle you until you do talk to me. No…Nothing. Okay… don't say I didn't warn you." Veronica reached out and started tickling Hunter on his stomach and up and down his legs and neck. The tickle fight ended with Hunter and Veronica laughing uncontrollably and out of breath.

Hunter looked at her and sheepishly asked. "When Logan comes back are you going to stop spending time with me?"

"What? Hunter. No of course not. You and me we're partners. Just because I'm excited to see Logan again does not, by any means, mean that you will become any less important to me. I love you and I absolutely love spending time with you. Now that doesn't mean that all of our time together will be just the two of us. Logan might tag along sometimes. Other times I'll be alone with him or I'll be alone with you. But I have a feeling that once you meet Logan you're gonna really like him." For a month and a half after Lianne's sentencing hearing Hunter went to kindergarten full-time and Veronica worked cases while he was there. Since school let out, however, Veronica hadn't been spending much time at the office. At nights she would go on stakeouts for her dad and collect evidence on cases but the rest of her time was spent hanging out with Hunter and getting to know him. Every once in a while she had to go to the office to work during the day Hunter either, went with her and played with Mac or he would go to Wallace's for the day. But that only happened once maybe twice a week. The rest of the time it was Hunter and Veronica and sometimes Keith. "Buddy, look at me, you don't have to worry about losing me cause I'm not going anywhere. Okay?"

"Okay." Hunter mumbled.

"It doesn't sound like you believe me."

"Will I ever be with my mom and dad again?"

"Well I know for a fact that you will see mom again but I don't know about your dad. I know that both of your parents love you very, very much and so do I."

"Okay. I love you too."

"That's what I'm talking about. So what do you think, should we go get some work done and play a little before my friend Logan comes back?"

"I thought he was your boyfriend?"

"Yeah he is. Does that matter?"

"Don't you want to see him alone?

"Yes, and I will but I want you two to meet even more."