Destiny Rocks Ch. 1

Revised: Thursday, June 23, 2016, replaced the premise chapter/merged chapter 1 and refined

Inspired by: watch?v=5DRB3ZFO9kA

Quick Notes:

Thank you for reading. This will have two parts in the one story. The italics are for the main character who is in first person for that part. It was like that in the show, and chapter one has a long one to catch you up. The rest is third person. The language is rated R, but will have not have a warning. If you cannot/prefer not to read that language please stop now :) lets be adults after all is said and done.

Legal Notice: All original characters belong to their perspective owners. Reference for entertainment only. This is a work of fan-fiction and the plot is mine, but the characters and their descriptions are as seen in the TV show "Veronica Mars", unless referenced by events in the show. This is an alternate universe where events take place differently.

Warning: This has dark themes which may disturb some people. It is a drama. It is a romance. It will hurt, but it will get better-promise. Follow Veronica on a journey of rediscovery if her life took a different turn than the life she had on the themes are the same, many are different.

Shoutouts: You will see other characters who I named for homage. Brent smith from Shinedown is one. Maria brinks from In this moment is another. I will post youtube links sometimes, as they have inspired me. The characters are not intended to be the same persons as they are in real life or in their bands. Also, shout out for all works of Jason Doring whom I love as an actor. He's pretty bad ass, amiright.

P.S. You are not meant to connect with Veronica at first as she is bitter, no worries that will evolve. You will see and understand why-I promise. Please enjoy.

Chapter One:

My about that…so the story goes: Girl has it all; loving father, sweet mother, and easy life. I wouldn't stay I was popular, but I was well known. Liked even. I had a best friend, a great boyfriend, and a slew of other popular friends. I was the police chief's daughter which had its own kind of power. We were never rich, but we were never poor.

Them BAM! It was over in a heartbeat.

Typical drama movie in the making. Mom and Dad didn't even make it to the hospital before they were pronounced dead on arrival. Doctors and cops said it was a drunk driver, but they never found the culprit. It seemed a little too easy for the person to just disappear like that. I had been at school that day, and I remember it like it was a dream-or nightmare. I was pulled from class as the deputies came to tell me the sad news. Of course I freaked out. Where was I going to go? Who did it? The entire works. They never came home the night before, but like most people, I attributed that to a late night party. Everyone has that story of walking in on their parent, and I just didn't want to envision that.

But I digress.

Anything to make sense of the uncommon, you know? He was up for re-election. Dad was the sheriff, and mom liked to have a good 'ol time at the parties. But they were solid, and I thought my world lived on a mountain that no one could breach or climb. Not so, said life.

Then came the gruesome part. Identifying what was left of their bodies. It seemed wrong for them to be so mutilated from just one crash. I don't think I could even wash that image from my head to this day. I would say that was the last of my nightmares, but things only took a dive from there.

It got much, much worse.

Some days I wonder how I survive at sold the house and everything in it within days of their burial. A ton has happened between that day and this.

I'm standing in front of the school just like I stood in front of my house. I don't want to be here, but there is nowhere else to go. Not yet anyway. I had a plan, and a secret, but I'd learned anything could change in an instant. Once I hit 18, I was gone from this place.I stood on the sidewalk in a daze that day just as I was now, as I watched them load everything in a goodwill truck. I had no say, I was only fifteen at the time. It was a normal sunny day sophomore year. My life was etched away piece by brutal piece after that. If I was in the sunshine, I never basked in its glow anymore.

Friends no longer came by, which I thought was odd at first. Now, I see people for what they really are. People are full of shit and could care less about you. No one noticed the changes I was going through. And did I want them to? The retribution on me would only end my life. I'd considered that also. No one was here to help. It was strange to have a life and a family, and the next day just the clothes on your back. But I'd survived this long, and I wasn't sure how exactly. Like my father before me, I was strong and resilient. Maybe even too stubborn.

There was one person-Lily- but Duncan Kane, her brother, broke up with me right after my parents died. I know what you're thinking. Yeah, he was that type of asshole. I suppose people just expected me to move on or something. Let me get right on that, people. Only lost my entire life that month.

So there I was young and alone when some asshole money maker takes me in. You think I am an awful person for saying that don't you? I called him the man. He isn't worthy of the dog shit on someone else's shoe. Forget his name. You think that made it better and solved all my problems? Money buys many things, but sanity is not one of them. I'll get back to that, in a minute.

Looking around, nothing feels the same this year; like some visor has been lifted from my eyes and I cannot unsee everything I've been through. I guess it's a loss of innocence. Tragic when you read about it, yet so fundamentally right when its real. Now, I listen in to kids bitch about their parents and I would give anything for just one piece of heaven. just one day of my old reality and not this hell I'm in. But that's not life and it certainly isn't reality.

I can see it now as I let myself go for just a minute. Mom hollering at me to get up in the morning, dad as he appraised my clothes each morning and asked if my boyfriend was playing nice. He'd laugh at me making a grossed out face. Mom's perfume when she got ready in the morning, or his cologne when I hugged him good bye-these are all the things I missed desperately. I hadn't hugged them the night they left. We'd had a fight, and that's all I have left in the place where my heart used to be. I didn't have those things. I had hell.

The asshole-or the man that took me in- was a sick ass pervert, but no one else knew that. My dad told me stories of kids being used and beaten before, but I knew it firsthand now. I stayed awake fearing he would attempt something equally gross or sexual. It gave me chills, and I never let my guard down.

There were the 'fun' times-him leaving me in the pool outdoors when it was freezing cold in my underwear. If I got out he'd just beat me and throw me back in. A few times he had to revive me. There were the 'not so good' times-him beating or whipping me for no good reason and laughing afterwards and showing it off to his sick friends. They loved video chat. And then there were the 'peaceful forget you' moments. Those sucked, but they were a type of reprieve. He'd lock me in a closet, again barely clothed, and make me sit there for twelve or fifteen hours at a time. If I made a sound, or begged to pee, he'd beat me and start all over.

Ero the nickname Stinky. Yeah, that's me now. from flowers and dresses to crap and smell. Gotta love life.

So yeah, that was why people threw stinky things at me. Like why...I didn't need more of it? It was the running joke at school. Glad to make your day, I always said. It's why I stood here and daydreamed of better times.

I was pretty short still. Still had blond hair, but parts of it were dyed red. It hid the blood. Goth was a good look to hide blood also. I was glad summer was over, and maybe someone would miss me if he hit too hard one day. Ha, yeah right. Doubtful. Those were the long months he enjoyed torturing me. Or the school breaks. He'd methodically take his time in it too.

The man also entertained a whip, and loved how belt marks looked on my skin. Crying was not an option because he only fed off it. How did people like this kind of thing? I'd heard of books and stuff...but no. He was careful though, to not leave a mark-at least most of the time. Dignity had gone out the window almost two years ago. Today I was eighteen.

This was depravity, but I was just trying to survive. I got why kids never came one could see the marks, or I'd be in a bigger type of hell when that got out. And so I waited hoping to live just long enough to escape. So I wore huge clothes, was rarely able to be clean, and he just loved inflicting this life on me. I slept at school and feared at night. In gym, I'd try and wash my cloths and body. I left it for last period so I could walk home wet and dry off. P.E. was a blessing and a curse because I was more exposed. I'd hidden well, though.

Once, I had great grades, now I was some sad story with a 'hero' I rebelled against. Let them think what they wanted. This man was sick, and he had money, ergo pillar of the damned community. This was it for me, and part of me knew it.

Suddenly, someone's T-shirt was tossed in Veronica's face rousing her from the dreaded first day of school haze. Wow, didn't even make it in to the doorway this time, she thought bitterly. Their games, while hurtful, were no match for what awaited her at home. On that same note, they meant nothing too; like an annoying fly that circled but did no real harm. Her arms ached with a madness she hadn't known in all her squad days. That was back when she was someone to these people.

Last night had been particularly difficult. The Man was getting more aggressive, and while Veronica knew she had to get out, she was so close to getting what she needed in life. Something to make everything worth it, she thought with pride. Still, she tried to muster her inner warrior, and pulled the stinky shirt off the front of her body.

Next, she set the perpetrator with a death stare while she gripped the t-shirt between her index and thumb fingers. The pun wasn't funny, and she wished they'd come up with some new lines already. For three minutes they pushed and shoved, ranted and raved, and she stood there and looked bored. Yup typical day, she thought and waited them out. Guys, she thought with a long mental sigh.

She moved her blond hair aside, but noted it didn't look bright or shiny as it used to. She shrugged, and righted her too big clothes. Verbal bash it is, she thought. The days of staying silent would soon be over. This town was about to fall on it's knees.

Finally, her arm grew tired and time was running out. "I can insult myself ten times more than you can, and I can do it better. So just save it," she mocked to Dick. He stopped shoving one of his friends and looked at her with disdain in his eyes. What a waste of a perfectly good male body, she mused.

Yup, there it was, she thought, right on cue. Her eyes grew wide and she indicated his shirt, "is this a gift, or shall I burn it?" More laughter ensued. Lovely.

Of course, it was Logan and the gang. Muscle boys, she'd called them. Just my special brand of psychotic jackass attention, she mused. While others taunted her, Logan brought it to a whole new level of dangerous. This time it was the blue eyed asshat Dick Casablancas that tried to verbally spar with her, however. Veronica narrowed her eyes ready to deflate him and his ego. This would be a sad display of him getting his ass handed to him, but she didn't mind. Usually, Logan could at least keep up with her.

Logan sneered from the pole he leaned against knowing just how this would play out. No one ever tempted Veronica's verbal bash, aside him of course, and walked away without scars. That was all his claim.

"MMhmm," Dick said rubbing his man tits in a circular motion. "That's what you likey isn't it, Mars? Dirty girl." He watched her glare over at Logan who was too busy flipping through his phone to care. She knew better, seeing how he hide a smile under the guise of non-interest.

"Hey," he said pretty close to her ear and snapped his fingers. "You want his meat, don't you, Veronica Mars? Slut of the year award goes to you." Dick pointed two fingers at her and slapped high fives with the guys.

Logan looked up at that comment with a grimace. "No thanks, I don't want a disease."

Veronica stared deadpanned at Dick, "Wow. Just wow." She laughed for added measure. "Is that the best a rich boy with all that education can do?" She pursed her lips and shook her head.

"As if there were any chance of that in hell."Logan leered continuing to his friend, "Not with a ten foot pole and if she were clean and offering, Dick." Logan flicked off his friend and unlocked his crossed feet standing to full height. Veronica wasn't sure what he commanded, but everyone around him shifted. It must be his brand of crazy, she guessed. His jeans looked new, flannel shirt blowing in the wind, nice docker shoes and that necklace she remembered Lily giving him.

Where had Lily been, Veronica suddenly wondered. She was the school Queen Bee now. She should be out here hassling her also. Duncan Kane, her ex-boyfriend and Lily's sister, was also absent from the group. He was the good guy to Logan's...well Logan was Logan. Nuts, pure crazy and nuts.

Dick laughed at him, "How many guys have you had Veronica?" he went on, "Wanna do more body shots?"

She made an Elvis lip, "Hmm, don't know DICK. Last time, when you drugged your girl friend and she gave the drink to me, I could say that wasn't consensual." Veronica looked over to preppy bigot Madison who stood behind with all the rest of the girls. "Do you always need to drug a girl to get laid?" She immediately followed with, "well, never mind that." Madison's face went cold and red at the same time. The gathering crowd laughed, and he lost his white toothed smile.

"Bitch."

Veronica snorted with faked glee, "I think that's my new name, so exciting."

"Whatever,"Madison said from the back. "Not like it was the first time you put yourself out for everyone."

Veronica added, "I'm so totally taken with your," she feigned a romantic and ecstatic poise, "great and utterly moving vocabulary. Why, I do say," she moved to a southern accent, "no ones eva used such sweet words on meh." Then she flicked him off. "There were no other times, but then, all that silicone must be going to your head. Or was it botox? Damn, did you spring a leak in those...balloons?"

Madison huffed and stopped turning to leave, "whatever slob." Her main of dirty blond hair swirled around her as she turned. Veronica got the standard dirty look from all five of her various lackeys as they followed her.

"Don't float away before fifth period ladies," she called out to them. A finger was her response.

Dick began to charge, but Logan caught him with a hand over his chest, and tried to hide a grin. No one was Veronica's witty verbal sparing partner. Packs could come in waves, and Veronica could knock them all down. Except him. "Now, now children." He hissed like a cat and made a claw hand, "settle down putty cats."

"You gonna let her say whit like that to me man?" Dick pushed back against his buddy, race red from embarrassment.

"That's my department, Dick. You know better. Besides," he added and gave a passing glance to the girl standing there with crossed arms, "She's just class slut. You can vote her in if you like."

"Why don't you write it up for me since you make up all the lousy stories?" She lifted a brow at his challenge, yet his smile dwindled."Hmm, lets see," she said and circled around herself a little with a finger to her bottom lip. "Where is my birthmark?" She had none, and she'd never slept with anyone.

His smile waned more. Damn, Logan thought on the fly, "No need to kiss and tell."

"What, you not sure?" she tilted her head totally showing she was calling his bluff. "You tell everything else. Were you too drunk? Or was it all the drugs? Mm, maybe you lied? Oh, that can't be right. Logan never lies. Just as Dick," she indicated a smaller size and the girls around her laughed as she shrugged contented.

Logan pointed at her, "never under estimate my..."

Veronica moaned without any effort, "please. Really?"

"Whatever, girl." Dick yelled and waved her off, and she smiled at him.

"Bye sweet cakes. Bring it to the table like a man next time. See," she said to Logan, "Money cannot buy wit."

Logan sneered again, "I'll get you, Mars."

"We've already been over that, dumb stick." She looked to the girls around her, "Right, because you can't answer that. We girls know the truth," She muttered just loud enough.

"You're a real piece, Mars." Logan bitched at her. He turned after moving Dick away from her and the others. He was off his game today, and he wasn't sure why.

"Stop... being so desperate." Veronica felt a cold sweat sweep over her. "Oh my god, Becky. Will you look at this poor excuse for a man." She faked cried at him.

Logan watched her for a second more, his smile disappearing a small degree. His head did a minuet bob, and he turned back to his friends. "Ok, Mars."

Wow really, she thought. Of course it wasn't over, it never was. She smiled the smile of her olden days, and the people around her dispersed knowing that look and all it entailed. She knew not a single person out there had avoided the wraith that Logan dished out. He had it coming.

These are the people of our future? Dick- did he know he looked stupid standing there rubbing himself, no? She shook her head and another shirt was tossed at her. She grabbed it and threw it to the ground all without looking up.

Quickly drawing back, she covered the mark that lined her wrist. You have got to be more careful, she warned herself as that sinking feeling replaced the earlier calm and bravado. Her blue eyes widened as panic surged. They laughed, and she relaxed a degree.

Ok, no one saw, she was a slight pause just before and she'd mentally wished she'd dropped the shirt on the concrete. Maybe if he came over again, I could kick him in the face? If only, she thought wantonly. Anything to bring that boy down a notch.

It reminded her of a scene from Matrix when Neo was fighting all the Smith's and knocked them over with the bowling sound effect when she swung the pole. Yes, that's it.

Cassidy, Dick's younger brother, was up next, "Christ, can't you take a bath or something? I think I see flies circling." He made a gesture with his finger. Ironically, his facial expression matched the emoji on his bright yellow shirt.

Her eyes narrowed, and then Logan spoke up from further away. "Poor little Veronica. Your life is so horrid."

They laughed and snickered, when Duncan silenced them with a glare. Oh, wonder boy is here, she thought dismayed when she turned and saw who it was. That's all he did, Veronica thought, just existed and glared anymore.

Her head waved back and forth as she thought it was such a shame. "I got my own back, Duncan. I don't need more knives in it."

He rushed up to her, and she took two steps back, "Have you seen Lily?"

She snorted, "Right, the ex best friend who was the sole reason for all of this," she indicated the group of people and the daily tormentors. "You know I'm not the slut they say, but then you don't really offer help do you? You're pretty good at abandoning people. Even if your dad was the shittiest person in the world, you would still love him. Why was me supporting him any different? They are all I had," she made it clear how he'd treated her. "You got some nerve asking me about your mouthy sister."

Duncan tried one last time, "Gee, can you tone down the bitch mode for just one second,"

"For you?" She played innocent, "no. I don't watch your sister, despite what everyone thinks. Have a good life and stay out of mine."

Logan watched them, but said nothing. Veronica was a little more hostile than normal, that he could tell. She'd taken to just being pathetic the last two years, but her eyes were different today. It was beyond him why she taunted Duncan with lies, but that wasn't his thing. He knew better, and Duncan, while having dumped Veronica around the time of her parents deaths, still had a persistent thing for her. He wasn't sure of the reasons for her quick blacklisting from their group, but her father had stepped on some major toes right before he died. All he knew was how much he loved branding her with labels and shit. She was a bitch, and Lily was his girl. If there was something going on, he stuck to his own.

Then Lily had turned on him and slept with Weevil who now hung out with Veronica. He couldn't fathom hating someone more than those two. Logan figured they'd been in on it as payback. Well, he made it his mission to ruin her repeatedly in response.

The crowed nearly growled with interest now, yet he said nothing and continued to stare at her. She just shook her head and moved away from the group of people.

What was up with that, she wondered. Why bother to glare at all if he left her when she needed him most? Guilt, she figured. Well, I don't need his guilt or first bell rang, and Veronica gripped her bag strap tighter. Sometimes, even school was fiercer than home, she thought.

The principle was out the front door and gave Veronica a disproving glance.

"yeah, back for another year of this..." she let the bad word stand knowing he'd try and give her detention for it.

He was older, but well groomed. She liked the man, and he was easy to rile which was fun also. Of course he knew better than to tempt her ire. She smiled at that as the boys dispersed and moaned. She passively smelled her jacket as she too mounted the stairs to her doom-er didn't stink too badly, so she shrugged. Probably more than it should, she sighed.

Maybe I should legally change my name to bitch, she thought. I've heard it so much lately, I'm beginning to wonder. I'd once been a girly girl, and now this is my fate, she thought irritably. .As she passed the principle, he gave her a sideways eye. She told him, "Careful, I don't bite, but I do hold grudges."

"So I've heard, Ms. Mars," Van Clemmons responded to the grungy teen. Something was wrong there, he thought to himself. The last year, he'd seen Veronica do a one eighty and wasn't too sure it related to just her parents deaths. While she initally changed from sweet and innocent to sharp-edged, this last year was something else.

Try as he might, there was nothing to go on, but he knew the likes of the man who 'fostered' her. She may not know it, but her father Keith had been investigating the dirt bag for laundering and trafficking. He'd also seen his fair share of hidden bruises and fear tactics the sick fucks played on their victims. It was no surprise that this particular man took her 'in'.

As she passed him, he noted the distance expression and sadness on her face when she smelled her coat, and the way she gripped her shoulder bag. Something was definitely wrong, and he hoped he could get her out of it before she was lost like so many others he'd seen over the years. This girl was brilliantly smart, sharp, and had once been sweet. Now she took on foes daily with no reprieve. She seemed to get out of detentions, and he was sure that had something to do with home.

He nodded to the last stragglers, and yanked his head towards the doors. Few students were brilliant, but the one no else bothered to help, because of her father, was casually made his way back to his desk and closed the door while pulling out Veronica's file.

He could hear the teachers down the hall, the office staff as they checked in late students and caught up on their summer. The SAT scores from junior year were the first page facing him when he opened the file. She had a near perfect score, yet her grades tanked and she slept through class. If it took him all year, he was keeping an eye on Ms. Mars. I owed it to Keith, Van thought to himself. She's a good kid. At least he hoped she had some of that left in her.