The Choices We Make
By Misha

Disclaimer- I don't own anything to do with "Veronica Mars", I really wish I did, but I don't. It belongs to Rob Thomas and UPN. I'm not making any money off of this, so please don't sue me.

Author's Notes- This is just a weird story idea that came to me one night. It's an alternate reality and it changes a few key details. It takes place right after Lilly was murdered and Veronica chooses to stand with the 09ers instead of with her father. To make the idea work, I fiddled with a few key events. In this, Duncan and Veronica were still together at the time of Lilly's death and he didn't know yet about them possibly being siblings. I also change the way Lianne leaves. Some of the characters might seem different and the situation might seem a little forced, but I think it works. This is going to be a very long drawn out story, as it deals with a path not taken and with relationships between the main characters. Jake, in particular, might seem out of character and some of his actions might seem unbelievable, but I believe it'll come together and I can make it fit. Also, I took liberty with the timeline, since I don't believe an exact timeline for the events following Lilly's murder was given. I did base it on the comment that Veronica makes in the pilot, saying that the Lilly Kane video was leaked six weeks after her murder and went from there. I use dates here, so that you know exactly when everything is happening and since Lilly was killed on October 3rd, I think my timeline for events works fairly well. As I said, this was just a bizarre idea that occurred to be one day on the bus and demanded to be written. Well, that's all for now, enjoy!

Pairing- Duncan/Veronica, some Keith/Lianne, Jake/Celeste, Jake/Lianne, and Logan/Lilly.

Summery- Veronica makes a pivotal decision that changes everything.

Rating- PG-13

Spoilers- Bits and pieces from the first season. Anything to do with Lilly and the back story.

Part One- Choosing Sides

Friday, November 14th, 2003

Veronica could barely process everything that was going on her life right now.

Lilly was dead. Someone had murdered her.

Veronica's father thought that Jake Kane had done it...

Veronica's head was spinning. She couldn't even process the thought. She knew Lilly's father, he would never do anything to harm Lilly, so why did her father think that he did?

It made no sense. Nothing made sense and nothing felt right.

She thought about that video that was circulating on the net. About how there had been an emergancy election and her father wasn't sheriff anymore. She thought of what Logan had said, about how this was Lilly's family and how it was Lilly. She thought of his anger at what her father was doing and how Duncan could barely look at her and she understood there was a choice to be made.

Her father or her friends.

She could support her dad, even though there had been a recall election and he was no longer sheriff, even though the town was against him and even though she couldn't comprehend how he could even suspect Lilly's own father...

Or, she could stand with Duncan and Logan, with the Kane family, with everyone from school and keep her friends, but turn against her own father.

What did she do? How did you make that choice? Your father or your friends?

Veronica buried her head in her hands. It was the most impossible thing in the world, yet she had to do it and she had to do it now.

So what would it be? Her father or everyone else?

Veronica stood on the Kane front step a little while later and knocked on the door, praying that Duncan answered the door.

She was in no shape to face Celeste Kane and she wasn't sure just what to say to Jake Kane. To her relief, it was Duncan who answered the door.

"Veronica." He said slowly. "This isn't a good time. I mean, with your father--"

"He's why I'm here." Veronica said quietly. "Duncan, I'm so sorry for what... Of course, your father couldn't have... I'm with you 100."

"Even against your own father?" Duncan asked disbelievingly.

Veronica nodded. "He's wrong and I know he's wrong. I love him, but... I can't... Not when..."

"I understand." Duncan said and he wrapped her in his arms.

She leaned against him, just taking in his warmth. They stood there for a long moment, just holding on to each other.

"Duncan, I don't know what to do." Veronica told him. "I know my dad will be hurt when he finds out I'm here and besides, I... I just don't even understand him at the moment. Anyway, my mom insists that we have to leave Neptune and I don't want to go with her, but I don't know if I can stay with my dad. I don't know what to do."

"Don't worry." Duncan whispered against her hair. "We'll figure it out, I promise you. I won't let you leave me. I won't lose you too."

"Dad can we talk to you?" Duncan asked as he and Veronica stood in the doorway of his father's study.

Jake nodded, looking up from some paperwork. "Of course." He saw Veronica and paled. "Veronica."

"Veronica's here because she doesn't agree with her father." Duncan informed his own father.

"Is that true?" Jake asked quietly.

Veronica nodded. "I know you could never hurt Lilly. I love my dad, but he's wrong."

Jake smiled slightly. "Thank you for that." He looked at her seriously. "Still, it can't be easy, standing against your own father."

"No." Veronica agreed. "But I don't really have a choice, do I? It has to be one or the other and he's wrong."

It wasn't that simple, but she couldn't put into words how hard the decision had been. How much, even now she was wondering if it was the right one.

"There's a problem, though." Duncan told his father. "Mrs. Mars wants to leave town, because of everything, and Veronica doesn't want to go with her, but she doesn't think she can stay with her father either."

"Lianne wants to leave?" Jake asked, sounding surprised.

Veronica nodded. "She doesn't think there's anything left for us."

"But you do?" Jake asked quietly.

"My friends are here." Veronica told him. "I don't want to leave Neptune, I love it here."

Jake nodded. "I understand. Let me talk to your mother and see what I can do. In the meantime, you can stay here tonight, in one of the guest rooms. Okay?"

Veronica nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Kane."

She wasn't sure what it would accomplish, but it was worth a try. She couldn't leave Neptune and Duncan, she just couldn't.