I do not own the rights to Veronica Mars or the characters. I just really love the show.
I've had this idea in the back of my head for a while now, but wanted to finish Honesty Matters before I started writing this one. Let me know what you think.
Chapter 1
Mid October 2007
"Mac!"
She heard him calling her name as she ran from the frat house and towards the man sitting on the running motorcycle at the curb.
"You okay chica?" Weevil asked while he handed her his helmet.
Mac could still hear him calling her name behind her and shook her head, then put the helmet on before climbing on behind him. She looked back as they pulled away to see that Dick Casablancas had just reached the curb.
"What happened? Mac?!" He waved his arms at her.
Late May 2007 (Five Months Earlier)
It was one year to the day since Cassidy Casablancas left her naked in a hotel room. One year since he tried to kill Veronica and Logan. One year since he jumped off the roof of The Grand. And one year since he changed her life forever.
It was the first time she had visited his grave. There wasn't a funeral since Cassidy's father was still in hiding and his mother didn't think it was in good taste. She had known where he was buried because Veronica came to her house that summer and told her, but Mac could never gather the nerve to go. That was the one and only time Veronica ever mentioned Cassidy to her.
She stood over his grave looking down at the headstone for the first boy she ever loved and the first boy whoever broke her heart.
"This is the only time I will ever come here Cassidy. I don't understand why you did the things you did or why you felt the need to hurt me that way before… You broke me and I'm finally starting to put myself back together. I hope you found the peace you needed."
Mac wiped the tear from her cheek and turned to leave. She was shocked to find Dick Casablancas standing a few feet behind her.
"Hey."
"Hi. I was just leaving." She started to walk past him.
"Wait." Dick stepped in front of her to block her exit. "Don't go. I…I want to apologize…you know again." He took a deep breath. "I meant what I said at the beach. I truly am sorry for everything I did, but I screwed it up by being a dick."
Mac looked up at him with a small smile. "Well it is your namesake."
Dick laughed. "See and that's why you're cool." He stuffed his hands in his pockets and toed the ground with his shoe. "I heard what you said." Dick looked up and met her eyes. "He didn't hurt you like he did Veronica?"
When Logan told Dick about what Beaver had done to Veronica at some party years ago, Dick felt sick to his stomach that his baby brother could hurt anyone like that. Dick also knew that he was the one who put Beav in the room with Veronica, so it was partly his fault. He asked Logan that night about Mac because he knew she was supposed to have been with Beav. Logan told him that she was fine, but wouldn't comment further and it was why Dick began to direct his anger at her.
Mac shook her head. She had never spoken about that night before to anyone. After Veronica found her, Logan gave her a hoodie to wear before taking her back to his penthouse and finding clothes for her. He then let her hide in the guest bedroom of his penthouse until the next morning when she could sneak out undetected. The situation with Mac was never reported to the police. She explained that there was no point in telling anyone since Cassidy was dead and couldn't hurt anyone anymore. She felt another tear fall from her eye.
Dick reached up and wiped away the tear with his thumb as he cradled her cheek. He then stepped towards her and encased her in a hug. "I'm sorry for whatever he did…and everything I did…and everything I didn't do."
She pressed the side of her face into his chest and they held each other. After a minute Mac took a step back letting each of their arms drop to their sides. "What didn't you do?"
Dick rubbed his face with his hands. "Let's sit down." He motioned towards a bench nearby. After they were seated Dick pulled a flask from his pocket and took a sip. "I should have gotten him help. I knew he was messed up. I just didn't realize how bad or why." He took another sip and offered it to Mac.
"No thanks."
Dick shrugged and took another swig. "Do you remember the winter carnival and how I was going to hit him but he stopped me?" He looked over at her.
Mac nodded. "He asked if you remembered Sally or something like that." She thought back to Dick having Cassidy pinned on top of a car with his fist pulled back and how quickly he coward after Cassidy mentioned Sally.
"Sally was our dog. When I was thirteen and Cassidy was eleven, I came home from surfing and found him beating Sally with a baseball bat." Another swig. "She was tied up and couldn't runaway. When I got him off of her, she was so bad that she wasn't moving." Another swig and he choked back a small sob. "I untied her and took her inside to house. Beav told out dad that Sally was hit by a car. Big Dick was on a business call and step-mom number three didn't care. She died before I could get anyone to take her to the vet." Dick let out an uncomfortable laugh. "I just realized…Beav was wearing a baseball uniform when that happened." He rubbed his face with his hand.
Mac realized that Dick was just as broken if not more from Cassidy's death. "He stole my clothes." She pulled the flask from Dick's hand and took a sip.
Dick looked over at her. "What?"
She gave an uncomfortable laugh. "That night he rented a hotel room and we were supposed to…" She moved a rolling motion with her hand. "You know. But he couldn't. Cassidy was uncomfortable with anything more than kissing. So after I was turned down the first time I tried to lose my virginity, I decided to take a shower." Another sip. "When I got out he had taken my clothes, the towels, the sheets from the bed. Basically he took everything."
"Wow." Dick rubbed his face in his hands again before his head popped up. "I didn't see you that night after he jumped. How did you get out?"
Mac took a long pull from the flask. "I didn't. Apparently, Cassidy made Veronica think he had killed me. So she found me, well her, Logan, and the hotel manager. I was hiding in Logan's spare room." She passed him back the flask.
"Wish I could have hidden in Logan's spare room." Dick thought back to that night. He was at the graduation party in one of the ballrooms when someone came in a yelled that someone had jumped off the roof. Like any stupid teenage boy, Dick ran out with everyone to find out what he could see. When he arrived in front of his brother's body, Dick sank to his knees and threw up. "I saw him, ya know after."
Mac placed her hand over his and rubbed the back of it with her thumb before weaving their fingers together. "I'm sorry."
Four Days Later
Logan had called Mac to come by the penthouse to work on the Grade My Ass website. She knocked on the door and waited for him to answer. It didn't take long for the door to swing open, but instead of Logan, Mac was face to face with Dick.
"Hey." She smiled and gave a small wave.
"Yo Mackie!" Dick opened the door wide and motioned for her to enter. "DUDE!" Logan's head popped out of his bedroom. "There's a chick here to see you!"
Mac walked further into the penthouse. "Chick?" She raised an eyebrow at Dick.
"What?" Dick looked confused. "You are a chick right?" He scanned her up and down. "Chick hair, chick face, chick boobs…" Mac turned and walked away from him towards the couch and Dick followed. "Chick ass and you smell like a chick. I mean I can do a full physical, but I'm pretty sure it's a safe bet that you are a chick."
She looked at Logan and rolled her eyes. "Get a new word. Woman, girl, lady, female, etc. Don't call me a chick. And don't check out my boobs or ass." Mac set her laptop bag on the coffee table and made herself comfortable on the couch.
Logan sat down on the other part of the couch. "So how have you been Mac?
"I've been good. How are you?"
"Good, good. How's Veronica doing?"
Mac stood up and then picked up her bag. "Nope. I'm leaving." Dick was blocking her way between the couch and the table.
"What?! Why?" Logan jumped to his feet and moved to stand next to her.
Mac turned to face him. "Because I'm not going to be the person you go to in order to find out information about Veronica. That's not okay."
"I'm sorry. I was just making friendly chit-chat. You know, like friends do."
"Seriously?" Mac flopped back on the couch. "So now we're friends?"
"Well yeah. I kind of thought so."
Dick noticed Logan looked a little hurt by Mac's comment and wondered why Mac was questioning his friendship. Logan was Dick's best friend and the one person he could always count on to help even when he pushed him away.
Mac huffed. "You dated Veronica on and off for two years and I was friends with her the whole time. You spoke to me…What?...About five times. Then you date Parker and yes we started to become friends, but I'm not going to let you use me to find out information about Veronica."
Logan sat back down. "I'm sorry. You're right. Let me start over." He cleared his throat. "Good afternoon Mac. How have you been? How's Max?"
Dick walked to the fridge and pulled out a beer for everyone.
Mac accepted the beer Dick offered her. She wasn't much of a drinker, but if she was spending time with these two then she needed a little help. She put the beer to her lips and mumbled, "Max and I broke up."
"Q'est que c'est?" Logan leaned in to hear her.
Mac sat the beer down on the coffee table. "We. Broke. Up."
"Why? You were so nerdy perfect for one another."
"For one, he quit college. Two, he's ex, the hooker, is currently living on the 'couch' in his apartment." Mac used her fingers to make quotes when she said couch. "He claims nothing is going on, but it's only a matter of time. I thought it would be best to free him before he cheats." She fidgeted with the hem of her shirt.
"I'm sorry to hear that."
Mac picked her beer back up and took a sip. "It started very hot, but the fire was dying out."
Logan stood up. "Forget the website. It sounds like we need to cheer you up."
Mac's eyes shifted between Logan and Dick. Dick was grinning like the Cheshire Cat and nodding. "Why do I all of a sudden feel very afraid?"
"Dick, get the tequila."
Dick stood up and went to get a bottle of tequila, shot glasses, limes, and salt. "Let's get this party started." He sat everything down on the coffee table.
"Um guys. This isn't how girls normally handle break ups."
Dick and Logan looked at her and together responded. "We aren't girls." They laughed and pointed at one another before bumping fists, entertained by their shared brain.
Mac laid back on the couch and looked up at the ceiling. "I need more friends."
Logan poured the shots while Dick cut the limes. "You'd have to be social to make friends."
Her head popped back up. "Why you gotta be a buzz kill with your negative attitude?"
Dick laughed at her banter with Logan. Mac was not like most girls; she had spirit and could hold her own with anyone. When Logan was dating Parker, Mac was around a lot more and Dick began to see her is a different light. She wasn't just a smart nerd from the wrong side of the tracks, but she was also funny, quirky, and lately he has noticed that she's also cute.
Logan handed her a shot. "Here. Take your medicine. It will make everything better."
Mac took the shot he handed her and held it in her hand. "Salt and lime please." She licked her wrist and held it out for Logan to sprinkle salt on and took a lime in the hand as well. "Bottom's up boys." She licked the salt, downed the shot, and stuck the lime in her mouth.
Logan and Dick clapped and cheered her on.
Shots quickly turned into a game of I've Never.
Logan looked at Mac and pushed a shot towards her. "I'm never conned 09'ers out of their inherited wealth."
"Damn Veronica." Mac took the shot.
Dick perked up. "Explanation please."
Logan smiled at Mac as her face began to blush. "She was the one behind the purity test. All those test you bought lined her little pockets."
Mac sat the shot glass back down. "I should thank you Dick. You were one of my best customers."
"I should be upset, but I'm kind of turned on." Dick shook his head. "Go Mac."
"I've never…" Mac looked between the two of them. "Been arrested."
Both boys clinked their glasses to took their shots. Logan motioned for Dick to take the next turn.
"I've never…Shit I hate it when I can never think of anything. I guess I've never gotten a tattoo." Dick didn't expect anyone to drink and was shocked to see Mac pour a shot and throw it back. When he looked at Logan, he noticed he was equally as shocked. He felt like a kid in a candy store. "Oh please let us see."
Mac rolled her eyes and stood up. She unbuttoned and unzipped her pants. "Promise you will not tell anyone I showed you."
Dick was getting excited and noticed her black lace underwear. He didn't think Mac was cute anymore; she was fully fledged hot now.
Mac pushed her panties and pants down a little to show her hipbone. There was a small tattoo with a series of ones and zeros.
Logan looked but didn't move closer, but Dick felt like he needed to know what it said and moved so his eyes were inches away from her hip. "01001100011010010111011001100101. What does that mean?"
"It's binary code for the word live." Mac pushed Dick away and pulled her pants back up, then zipped and buttoned them. "Before Parker left to go back to her parents', she needed a girls' night and somehow we ended up with tattoos. Hers says live too, but in a Chinese symbol. That was one crazy night. We ran into Wallace and Piz. Poor Piz, he was so sad about Veronica breaking up with him before she left for Virginia." Mac realized what she had said and covered her mouth with her hand.
"What?" Logan sat up straight. "They broke up."
Mac lowered her hand. "I wasn't supposed to tell you that."
"Why not?"
"No. I'm not telling you anything else. Nope. Not happening. At least not without Veronica's permission."
Logan stood up and went to his room.
Mac looked at Dick. "I think he's mad at me."
Dick moved closer to Mac and leaned her head on his shoulder as he placed an arm around her. "I think he's thrilled that Ronnie is single again."
Mac breathed in the smell of Dick. "He looked mad."
He rubbed her arm. "I promise you, he isn't."
"He will be." Mac felt her eyes grow heavy. "When he finds everything out, he will be." She felt herself drift off to sleep against Dick.
