The epilogue for The Casablancas Legacy went a different direction than originally planned, mostly because we've gotten to December and that made me think alternative thoughts (hint, it's Christmas in Neptune). However, that change of focus means it isn't done for today. So, I'm previewing chapter 1 of this story, simply because I'm not ready to end the posting streak. This story isn't finished yet and I hadn't planned to post until it was, but I figured, why not have a little sneak peak? Helps me know if there's interest or not, right?
The TCL epilogue will post next week and this one probably won't post again until it is complete.
The ringing of the doorbell echoed through the house and Eli got up off the couch with a sigh. Lilly was still asleep and he always had such a hard time telling the missionaries no when they came to the door early on Saturday morning to help save his soul. His fiancée had no such qualms; her favorite thing was listing out some of her more risqué activities and asking the poor souls if they thought there'd be a chance to do those things in Heaven. Eli thought their address had probably been circulated amongst the faithful as a portal to Hell because they'd had no visits since she'd asked about orgies but who else would be ringing the bell this early in the morning? Vee and Opie would have just walked in. Abuela would have knocked first and then walked in. He steeled himself for a conversation about the end times and opened the door.
Instead of a couple of friendly ladies in 80's floral dresses, there stood a vaguely familiar young man. He had pale blue eyes and a shocking head of pure white hair. Eli was pretty sure he would've remembered meeting someone who looked like this, and he absolutely didn't, but he still couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity.
"Can I help you?" he asked, then he felt Lilly behind him.
"Oh, let me," she said playfully, "I haven't shocked anyone in weeks." She kissed his cheek and turned toward the visitor at the door, then gasped.
"Duncan?"
Lilly was still fussing over the stranger. She'd thrown herself into his arms in the doorway, then pulled him inside and over to the couch. She'd continued to run her hands through his hair, touching his face, and weeping. "Where have you been? What happened to you?" Eli brought cups of tea for both of them but they'd long since grown cold, sitting neglected on the coffee table.
The stranger had answered to the name of Lilly's long lost brother and Eli did see the resemblance between the man and the boy in the decade-old photographs that Lilly kept locked away in her desk. It had been nearly ten years since Lilly's parents and thirteen-year-old brother disappeared at the same time that Veronica's mother vanished. It had been quite a scandal, with speculation running wild in the community about Lilly's father and Veronica's mother and their long ago high school romance. Credit card records traced Jake and Lianne to Colorado, to a resort in the Rockies, with Celeste and Duncan following a few days later, and then all four of them just vanished. Lilly had been away at summer camp with Veronica when the rest of her family disappeared. Both girls had returned to a media frenzy that segued to grief when no further trace was ever found of the missing four.
The investigation had focused on Veronica's dad for a while, assuming that he could have taken some action against his philandering wife and her apparently longtime lover, possibly with Celeste's help at first, before he'd eliminated his co-conspirator, with Duncan somehow being caught in the crossfire. After several months of speculation, nothing could be found to actually support that theory and the investigation petered out, but the damage had been done to his reputation and Keith was replaced as sheriff in the next election. He'd opened a private investigation firm and done well for himself, raising Veronica as a single father.
With both her parents among the missing, Lilly legally came under the guardianship of Celeste's sister in Escondido. That lasted only a few weeks before Lilly turned up at the Mars' house. Her aunt took her back but Lilly made her way back to Neptune a couple of days later. This continued for several months until Keith was able to work out an arrangement with the aunt and Lilly became a permanent resident of the Mars' home. Once she turned sixteen, she petitioned to be legally emancipated. She continued to live with Veronica and Keith but she became responsible for the Kane fortune without interference from her aunt.
It wasn't long after the legal wrangling was done that Eli caught Lilly's attention. Lilly had always had Eli's attention—oh hell, who was he kidding, she had nearly everyone's attention at all times, although she was only really interested in Keith, Veronica, and her missing brother's best friend, Logan. While she was being dragged back and forth between Neptune and Escondido, Logan and Veronica bonded over his loss of Duncan and her loss of Lianne and by the time that Lilly was permanently ensconced in the Mars' home, Logan was practically a resident there himself. The grapevine at Neptune High speculated how long before Lilly took up with the son of a movie star who practically lived in the same house, but it had never happened. Instead, somewhat surprisingly for the denizens of Neptune High, Logan and Veronica became the couple, with Lilly watching over them like a protective fairy godmother. Any girls who tried to entice Logan were dealt with swiftly and harshly, and none of the guys at school ever dared make a move on Veronica. Between Lilly's displeasure and Logan's fists, it just wasn't worth it.
Lilly worked her way through the 09'er boys and was seen out and about with a few different college boys before Eli met her at a beach party. He and Logan had been quarreling over turf when Lilly and Veronica arrived late to the party. Veronica put her hand on Logan's arm and he looked at her and immediately backed away from Eli who followed with a grin. "Whipped by a little girl, white boy? I guess we see who wears the pants in this relationship." Logan had turned his back on him, following Veronica, and Eli moved to intercept when suddenly, Lilly was in his face.
"Back off, Paco," she said with a grin.
He took a step closer to her. "So he's got two little girls fighting his fights, hmm? Good thing he's rich."
She tipped her head to the side and fixed him with a teasing look. "Your problem is that you've never had anyone worth being whipped for. Logan knows where his priorities lie. Maybe someday you'll get lucky enough to make a similar choice." Her eyes twinkled at him and he knew he was a goner.
Six years later, he was still whipped, but, luckily, so was Logan. And that's who he needed to call now.
The phone rang twice before Logan's sleepy voice answered. "You asshole, why are you calling me so early?"
"Didn't anyone teach you any manners, Opie? What kinda way is that to answer a phone?"
"I save my manners for people who don't call me at the crack of dawn."
"You need to go back to kindergarten and learn to tell time. 9:30 AM is not the crack of dawn."
"Whatever. Now what do you want, Weevs?"
Eli shook his head. Even with their nearly constant contact because of Veronica and Lilly, no one could throw him off track like Logan could. "Yeah, um, we need you and Vee over here as soon as you can get here. Something's happened."
"Something like what? You guys are okay? Is it your grandmother?" The bullshitter was gone, replaced by the Logan whom Eli would trust with his life, or the life of the woman he loved.
"No, everyone's fine. Someone showed up this morning. A man. Lilly thinks it's Duncan."
"What? If this your idea of a joke, let me assure you, it isn't funny."
"Nope, not a joke. Just come over and see for yourself."
"We're coming." The phone went dead and Eli headed back into the living room. Lilly was still pressed against the stranger—her brother, maybe—and she was crying again.
"Nothing? How is that possible?" She glanced up at Eli as he stepped closer and sat on the loveseat next to them.
"How are we doing?" he asked gently. "I see the tea didn't go over...can I get you guys something else?"
"No, it's fine. Eli, did you know my brother, Duncan?" Lilly spoke slowly, like she might to a child, but he knew it wasn't because of him that she was speaking so deliberately.
"No, I don't think we ever met. I'm Eli. Nice to meet you." He reached for Duncan's hand and the other man responded automatically but his face looked confused.
"How do you know my sister?" Duncan asked, sounding suspicious.
"Well, we're en—"
"We're friends from school," Lilly interjected and Eli jerked back slightly.
"Umm, yeah, friends from school," he said slowly, his eyes locked on Lilly's. She looked apologetic but didn't say anything more about who he was. "So, I called Opie; they're coming over soon."
"Who?" Duncan asked and Lilly jumped up.
"Stay here, Duncan, we'll be right back." She pushed Eli as she walked past him and he stood to follow her to the kitchen. When they were out of Duncan's line of sight, she collapsed against him.
"Oh, you know me now?" he said in a low, sarcastic voice but when she started to shake, he wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry, chica, are you okay?"
"He's so confused," she whispered. "He knows time has passed but he doesn't know how much. He doesn't know where he's been. I wasn't sure what he'd do if he realizes that enough time has passed that I could be engaged. That's why I said I knew you from school. I'm afraid of saying something that will be too much for him." She ducked her head against his chest, gulping in big, deep breaths. "And his hair. Oh my God, what could have happened to him?"
"Should I call Logan back and tell them not to come? Will seeing them upset him?"
She shook her head. "I don't know. But good luck holding Veronica back if Logan's told her already. She's gonna storm over here and pump him for answers about her mom."
"I'm calling him back," Eli said, pulling his phone out of his pocket.
"I don't know," Lilly said. "I have no idea what to do. What do you do when your presumed dead little brother turns up on your doorstep?"
He poked at his phone and held it to his ear. "You're pretty confident it's really him? I mean, people change quite a bit between thirteen and twenty-two. What if he's an imposter, trying to get something from you? Which makes me nervous about him alone in our living room." He walked to the door of the kitchen and peered out. Their guest was still sitting on the sofa, rocking slightly as he glanced around. He saw Eli at the kitchen door and smiled as he raised a hand in greeting. Eli nodded and turned back to Lilly as his phone finally connected.
"What now?" Logan's exasperated voice echoed through the bluetooth speaker. "If you're calling to say April Fools, I'm kicking your ass."
"It's July, dipshit."
"Part of the reason I'm kicking your ass. We're on our way over; why are you calling again?"
Eli lowered his voice. "Lilly's worried that you guys might upset him. He seems a little fragile. He doesn't know how long he's been gone and he can't tell us where's he been. She's not sure if he can deal with seeing the two of you."
Veronica's voice came over the speaker. "You're legit here? You're not punking us?"
"Only punk here's sitting next to you."
"Ha ha. Okay, so you're telling us to stay away?" Logan asked.
"No way, we're coming," Veronica broke in. "I need to figure out what happened to my mom."
"He doesn't know anything, Vee, not right now. You can't just burst in here planning to interrogate him. If that's your plan, we're not letting you in."
"You can't keep me out—"
"Veronica, stop," Logan interjected. "Weevs, put Lilly on, please."
Eli handed the phone to Lilly. "Logan and the tiny crazy person want to talk to you."
She took the phone and turned toward the counter, resting her elbows on it and leaning her head against her hand. "Hey guys."
He stepped out of the kitchen to check on Duncan again. "How ya doing, man? Can I get you something?"
"Nah, I'm fine. I think. Where's Lilly?"
"She's on the phone in the kitchen."
Duncan's head snapped up. "Is she talking to Mom and Dad?"
Eli's eyes widened. "Umm, no. She's talking to Logan. Do you remember him?"
A wide smile spread across Duncan's face. "Of course, he's my best friend. Is he coming over?"
"Well, we weren't sure. Are you up to seeing more people?"
"Oh, absolutely. I can't wait to see Logan." He paused and looked away for a moment, then looked at Eli again. "So, I know a lot more time has passed than I remember but Lilly's best friend used to be Veronica Mars. Do you know her?"
"Yeah, they're still best friends. Lilly used to live with Veronica and her dad…" As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Eli cringed. Too much information.
Duncan's brow wrinkled. "She didn't live with Mom and Dad," he said, not questioning, just stating the fact. "Right," he added after a moment. "They were with me."
"You were with both of them? That's what you remember?" Eli asked and Duncan shook his head.
"Not specifically, it just sounds right."
Lilly walked in then. She handed Eli his phone and sat next to Duncan again. "So," she said, bumping his shoulder with her own, "are you up for some company?"
Duncan looked at her with a smile. "Logan's coming?"
"Yeah, Logan and Veronica, and her dad will be here in a bit too." She glanced at Eli who nodded. Keith would know what to do.
"Oh, the Sheriff. That's probably good. Maybe he can help me remember."
"He's not the Sheriff any longer," Lilly said, "but he is a private investigator. He spent a lot of time trying to find all of you. And Veronica's been working for him for a few years but she's leaving for law school in about six weeks."
"Law school, wow," Duncan said. "Last thing I remember was eighth grade graduation."
"That's right. It was the summer before the three of you were supposed to start high school when you all...just disappeared."
"So, all of high school and long enough for Veronica to graduate from college...so I've been gone at least eight years?" To Eli's eye, Duncan looked shocked but not terribly distressed. He actually hadn't shown much emotion since he'd shown up at the front door.
"Nine actually. Almost exactly. It'll be nine years from your disappearances in a couple of weeks." Lilly clasped Duncan's hand. "Where were you?"
He leaned back and rested his head on the back of the sofa. "I don't know. I...woke up, I guess...on a bus. When it stopped, I got off. This address was in my head, although I didn't know it was your address. It was just someplace that I felt I was supposed to go. I was probably as surprised to see you as you were to see me."
"I dunno about that," Lilly said playfully, reaching out to tangle her fingers in his hair. "The Draco Malfoy look is a pretty big shock. Not to mention, legally, all of you are dead."
Duncan's eyes widened at that statement but he reached up to catch her fingers. "You really have changed, Lilly. You've actually read the Harry Potter books?"
Lilly' eyebrows scrunched together and she tilted her head. "Of course not. I've seen all the movies though."
Eli laughed at the smile that broke across Duncan's face. "There's movies now? More than one? That's great. They're probably not as good as the books though. Did all of the books come out while I was gone?"
Lilly smiled and hugged Duncan; Eli could see the tears welling in her eyes. "This is when we need the Geek Squad," he said. "Logan and Veronica can get you up to date on all things Harry Potter. You've missed some Star Wars movies too."
"The rest of the prequel trilogy," Duncan said, nodding as more old memories seemed to register. "Did they get any better?" Both Lilly and Eli burst into laughter.
"Depends who you talk to," Lilly said. "We're gonna let Logan cover that topic." The doorbell rang and they all looked at each other.
"My guess is that he's going to have more pressing issues he'll want to cover first, but I dare you to lead with that question," Eli said, then he stood to go to the door.
Veronica stood behind the sofa table, watching in disbelief as Logan, Lilly, and Duncan laughed about some stupid thing that had happened a decade ago. How a prank they'd played on a middle school teacher could be a topic of conversation right now was completely beyond her. Duncan was back from the dead and he didn't seem to know where he'd been all this time. He wasn't talking about where his parents or her mother were. And her stupid fiancé and her stupid best friend were apparently content talking about nothing.
She huffed and stepped toward the trio, ready to start kicking someone's ass, when Weevil grabbed her arm.
"You look like you need a snack," he said in her ear and dragged her into the kitchen.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she hissed at him.
They reached the kitchen and he pulled the pocket door closed behind them. "You need to calm down," he said, in a voice that she thought was supposed to be soothing but was really just condescending.
"First, that has nothing to do with snacks, and second, I am calm." She gave him the glare that made most people do what she wanted but he just shook his head at her.
"Getting you a snack was an excuse anyone would buy and if you're calm, then I'm an honors student." She rolled her eyes and snorted at his mediocre attempt at humor. "Vee, look, we have no idea what he's been through. I'm pretty sure your dad is going to agree that we can't just rush him and demand he tell us everything he knows. Right off the top of his head, I don't think he knows very much. He seems to remember things if he's allowed to think about them for a while but that is not the same as you coming in with your waterboard and trying to get him to talk. Just chill. Go out with the rest of them and talk about the old days. If he's gonna remember, I think it's going to come by him working through the stuff that's hiding out in his head. Helping him remember the easy stuff might help with the harder things eventually."
She sighed heavily. "It's disturbing when you get all voice of reason. That's my job." He barked out a laugh. "What? I'm a very reasonable person."
"I agree that you have that capacity but if you think that you behave that way normally, you're flat out delusional. I think it's a safe bet that you're currently alive because the people in your life override your choices on a regular basis." She wrinkled her nose at him and he shook his head. "Shall I list out instances? You follow a suspected terrorist around all day until he notices and kidnaps you."
"He was ATF, not a terrorist and it wasn't really a kidnapping."
"Dumb luck, not evidence of reasonableness. You were essentially kidnapped another time by a secret society that you were trying to uncover."
"They locked me in my trunk. That's not kidnapping. And they didn't take my phone so I was able to call for help."
"More dumb luck. Perhaps that's a pattern here. Let's see, what else? You infiltrate a cult."
"Oh my God, they were hippies, not a cult. Now you sound like my Dad."
"Now there's a man of reason. Shall we talk about the time you stumbled on a rapist and nearly got yourself roofied into permanent brain damage?"
She sighed again. "That one could have been bad," she admitted.
"Uh huh." He turned toward the cupboard and pulled out a package of Oreos. "Take these out in the living room and share with the other children. And don't ask any hard questions until your Dad tells you it's okay."
"You're not the boss of me, Eli," she grumbled, but she knew he was right. "Okay, fine. Aren't you coming out with me?"
"I'll be out shortly. He doesn't know me like he knows all of you. If we're trying to make him comfortable, we're best off with the three of you spending time with him."
"He's closer with both of them than with me. I mean, realistically, in another year or two, he probably would have been my boyfriend. Obviously, he couldn't have been Lilly's boyfriend. She probably would have gotten Logan." She blanched. "But, we never got to the pairing off point in our little group." She looked up at Eli. "I guess both of our lives would have been a lot different if he hadn't disappeared, huh?"
"Wow, Vee, shit just got real in here." He ran his hand nervously over the top of his head. "Pretty sure that isn't a conversation you should be having with anyone else."
"Yeah, you're probably right." She took the package of cookies from his hands. "All right, I'm going out there and I will do my best not to start screaming questions in a Russian accent." She smirked at him. "Okay?"
"If someone was gonna be able to do that, it would be you. Cuz there was that time you uncovered the guy hiding from the Russian mob…"
"Oh, shut up."
Logan looked up at the sound of the pocket door opening and watched Veronica walk out of the kitchen with a package of Oreos in her hand. She looked a little less tense than she had when Weevil dragged her away but it was clear she was still uncomfortable. She walked into the living room and perched on the edge of the loveseat next to him.
"The host sent snacks," she said, tearing the package open and pulling out several cookies. "He offered caviar but I told him Oreos would do."
Duncan looked at her quizzically and Logan laughed. He was starting to remember that Duncan never really got Veronica's rather obscure sense of humor. It was one of his favorite things about her.
"Good call," Logan replied. "Unless he had Nutter Butters. Then, I think you need to get your cute self back in there and bring me some Nutter Butters."
"You ate the last of them when you were here last weekend," Lilly said, rolling her eyes. "Eli says we're not buying more than one package of those per month. He thinks maybe that will keep you out of our house."
Logan laid his hand over his heart and pouted. "You wound me. I always make sure to keep our house stocked with all your faves."
"Yeah, but the bottomless pit next to you eats them all before I can even come over." Lilly laughed when Veronica frowned.
"Hey! That's not funny."
"It's a little funny, sugarpuss." Logan pulled Veronica from her tense perch and settled her against him before snitching an Oreo from her hand and popping it in his mouth. She wrinkled her nose at him but he could feel her start to relax into his side. He put his arm around her shoulders and stroked her arm, then looked over at Duncan.
"Hey, man, do you remember the time that Veronica beat Dick in an ice cream eating contest? He was puking by the eighth scoop and she got to ten and didn't even blink."
"Ice cream melts. It doesn't take up as much room as regular food," Veronica said plaintively and both Lilly and Duncan laughed.
"That's what you always said," Duncan said. "I remember, that was always your excuse." He looked at Lilly. "I guess some things never change."
"Veronica's ability to eat her weight in ice cream is one of the constants in our lives," Lilly said and Veronica threw a pillow at her.
"Veronica's violent tendencies are pretty commonplace also," Lilly added as she threw the pillow back with a cheeky grin.
"I don't really remember those," Duncan said slowly, looking off into the distance. Logan locked eyes with Lilly, who now looked worried, then Duncan's eyes fell back on Logan. "So, you guys are together and Lilly and Eli are together. Is that right?"
Logan looked at Veronica and then back at Lilly. They both wore the worried expression now. "Umm, yeah. That's right."
"Lilly's got a ring so I guess that means you're engaged?" Lilly nodded. "Do you have a ring, Veronica?"
She looked hesitantly at both Logan and Lilly and then nodded also. "Can I see?" She held out her hand and Duncan looked closely at the engagement ring on her finger. "That's nice." He sat back into the sofa. "It's so weird. I remember everyone being too embarrassed to dance at our eighth grade graduation dance and now you guys are all ready to get married."
"Eli and your sister are ready to get married. They've got a date set and everything. Veronica's just humoring me," Logan said in a dry voice and Veronica made a scoffing sound before Lilly interrupted.
"You two aren't having that argument again. Not today." She turned to Duncan. "Veronica wants to wait until after law school...which is obviously too far away...and Logan was ready to get married after they kissed the first time...which was obviously too soon. They'll work it out eventually, or else he'll knock her up and then her dad will make her marry the punk who violated his precious daughter."
Veronica growled, "Lilly," and Logan dropped his head into his hands, but not before seeing Duncan's eyes widen with shock. It didn't seem like Duncan was prepared for Lilly's favorite way to torture them.
"Chica, stop harassing our guests." Weevil's voice rang through the room, a hint of disapproval in his tone. "Let Vee and Opie work out their timing issues without your input." Logan looked up at Weevil gratefully but the other man wasn't looking at him, he was pinning Lilly to the sofa with his glare. She was squirming under the force of his gaze and Logan hid his smirk. Not even Veronica was as good at getting Lilly to back down as Weevil. They really were a good match.
"Thanks, Weevs," he said, then laced his fingers through Veronica's and squeezed her hand.
Two hours later, both couples stood in the kitchen, peering out the window into the backyard, watching Keith and Duncan as they sat next to the pool, engrossed in conversation.
"What do you think they're talking about?" Veronica asked, for probably the fourth time. Logan stood behind her with his arms wrapped around her, chin resting on the top of her head.
"How the Padres are doing this season," Weevil suggested and Lilly elbowed him in the gut as Logan snorted.
"This may not matter to you, Weevil," Veronica said angrily, "but don't you think that your fiancée might want to at least know if her mother is out there alive somewhere? We might not care about where Jake and Lianne are, those cheating snakes, but Celeste?"
"Veronica." Lilly turned toward her and pulled her away from Logan, wrapping her arms around her friend and pulling her head onto her shoulder. "You don't have to pretend that you don't care about finding your mom. Not with any of us. Yes, Jake and Lianne were cheating snakes and if we ever get them back, I'm right there with you on never speaking to them again. But don't think for a minute that we believe that you don't care." She straightened up and gave Veronica a hard stare. "You got me?"
Veronica nodded and swallowed hard, not speaking. Lilly looked over Veronica's shoulder at Logan. "Okay, you can have her back." Logan pulled Veronica back into his arms, facing him this time, cradling her against his chest.
"He might not know where they are," Eli said. "He barely knows where he is."
"Maybe hypnosis or something," Logan suggested. "That can supposedly unlock things in your memory."
Lilly shrugged and nodded. "That might be worth a try. We'll see what Keith suggests."
"Well, we're not gonna have to wait much longer," Eli said, tipping his head toward the window. "They're on their way in."
All four of them scrambled away from the kitchen window, heading back for the living room. Logan pulled Veronica into his lap in the love seat, Lilly perched on the sofa, and Eli leaned against the fireplace.
Keith opened the French doors from the patio and motioned Duncan inside ahead of him. He smirked at the group playing casual in the living room.
"I see the four of you are waiting oh so patiently," he said. "Why don't you take a seat, Duncan. You too, Eli. We've got some decisions to make."