Chapter One: Surprises

"Hey, Ronnie. I've got something really important to tell you. If you could call me back when you get the chance…that'd be great. Talk to you then." Lilly's message echoed throughout Veronica and her father's apartment. Veronica sighed, opting to wait to call back her best friend. Veronica had something important of her own to share, and she was positive Lilly wouldn't like it.

After finishing her homework and listening to a c.d. for about an hour, Veronica finally sucked it up and made the phone call.

"Hey Lills. What's up?" Veronica asked, trying her best to sound as though she was excited about this conversation. It was more difficult than she'd anticipated to speak to Lilly normally.

"Well, here goes…actually, you know what…can you come over? I think we need to have a face-to-face conversation." Lilly suggested. Veronica's heart froze. Did she already know? Was everything about to blow up in Veronica's face?

"Um…yeah. Sure. Be there in 15." Veronica hung up quickly, and took several deep breaths. She walked slowly to the door, just in time to answer the door. She swung it open, and there stood a young black man, grinning like the cat who caught the canary. His face fell abruptly when he saw Veronica.

"Hi. I'm Wallace Fennel. I was looking for Marcus…is he here?" Wallace asked. Veronica crossed her arms, an annoyed expression crossing her face.

"No. No one by that name lives here. I think you, clearly, have the wrong address. If you'll excuse me, I was leaving." Veronica replied icily. Wallace stepped back, surprised by her reaction.

"Look, I'm sorry. It was a mistake. My cousin gave me this guy's address, said he'd be there, he obviously messed up. Don't have an aneurism." Wallace scoffed. Veronica shot him a look. She studied him for a few seconds, before deciding it was kind of funny. Her laughter warmed him up, and he smiled at her.

"Wallace. In case you forgot." He stuck out his hand, and she grabbed it.

"I'm Veronica. Veronica Mars." She replied. Wallace's face lit up in recognition.

"Sheriff Mars's daughter. I heard she was around my age." Veronica's face fell slightly, before returning to it's cheerful smile.

"That's me. I'm a good friend to have. All the underage drinking you can handle." Wallace chuckled, and proceeded to walk Veronica to the steps.

"It was nice to meet you, Veronica." He proclaimed.

"As it was you, Wallace. I'll see you around." Veronica smiled. Once Wallace was gone though, all her fears returned. She sighed, climbing into the driver's seat and speeding off toward Lilly's house.

Lilly answered the door with a smile. She hugged Veronica quickly, before ushering her towards her room.

"What could possibly be so important Lilly?" Veronica remarked, as Lilly bolted the door.

"I just can't have my parents walking in. They'd have my goddamned head, Veronica." Lilly explained. Veronica's fake smile was gone in an instant, and worry clouded her mind. So Lilly didn't know. What else could be so urgent?

"I'm pregnant Veronica." Lilly blurted out, heading off any awkward small talk or jokes.

"Lilly…you're WHAT?!" Veronica cried, leaping off Lilly's bed. Her mind was everywhere…the father…how…options…Lilly's parents…Duncan.

"I know, I know. And there's something else." Lilly began, and stopped abruptly. A long banging was coming from the other side of the door.

"Lilly? Lilly honey, what's going on? I heard a scream…" Celeste Kane continued to knock until Lilly answered.

"It's fine Mom. Veronica just stubbed her toe. Didn't you Veronica?" Lilly shot Veronica a menacing look, making Veronica hold back her reply of denial.

"Oh. Well, be more careful Veronica." Celeste scolded. Veronica nodded and smiled obligingly, all the while thinking she should wipe that smirk off of Celeste's botoxed face with the news of her daughter's teenage pregnancy. Celeste smiled coldly, before exiting the room.

"Okay, Veronica. No more freak outs, or it'll be my dad or Duncan next." Lilly warned. Veronica could only manage a nod.

"I'm not sure about the father…because there are two possibilities. And one of them…well, one of them is gonna make you mad. Real mad." Lilly confessed. Veronica wondered who could possibly make her mad.

"By the way, I know you and Logan kissed. A lot. And I don't care, cause I'm breaking up with him anyways. And you two can kiss all you want, since I'm pregnant and everything." Lilly's face was serious, but her tone rang more excited or pleased at this turn of fate than serious. Veronica was so stunned at this simple admission that she stayed mute.

"Okay. So Logan isn't the father. But…Aaron could be." Lilly fell back on her bed, leaving Veronica to swallow this development on her own.

"Aaron…Aaron…ECHOLLS?!" Veronica breathed. Logan's father? Holy crap! That made Lilly sound like a real…a real…well, Veronica refused to say the word that had surrounded Lilly's name since 8th grade. But honestly!

"Yes, yes. He's so…I dunno. Just plain sexy, Veronica. I can't describe it." Lilly sighed, sounding as in love as Veronica did when talked about Logan. Veronica shuddered slightly. Aaron Echolls had always given her the creeps.

"How about the other…possibility?" Veronica pressed, an edge creeping into her voice. She wasn't sure how to process any of this, let alone what she was going to do about Logan.

"Eli Navarro. He's alright. He's pretty taken with me, and I like him well enough. I just hope he's not the father. He doesn't have the money to support a baby with me, or to help me get rid of it, if that's what I decide." Veronica was less taken aback at the proclamation. She'd been suspecting something was going on between these two, ever since she'd seen the Lilly tattoo on Weevil (his nickname)'s arm. He'd pretended it was his sister's name, but Veronica knew better. Lilly's conquests tended to become obsessed with Lilly, enough so to get a tattoo.

Lilly opened her mouth to continue, but her door shook, and she allowed her brother, Duncan, Veronica's current boyfriend, inside. Duncan planted a kiss on Veronica's mouth. Veronica shied away from him, but he didn't notice. Veronica would have to let him in sometime…later, she supposed. Later.

"You wanna stay for dinner, Ronnie? The Echolls are coming over. Could be fun." Duncan smiled, waiting for her response. Veronica's heart skipped a beat.

"Of course." Veronica smiled genuinely, thinking not of her All-American boyfriend that was holding her hand, but of the gorgeous bad boy who'd stolen her heart. Lilly's expression also grew excited, making it seem like she was pleased her boyfriend Logan was coming, when Veronica knew, she was pleased his father was coming.

"Yeah. Sounds like a blast, eh, Ronnie?" Lilly giggled, leading the way towards the dining room. Veronica and Duncan followed obediently.