Hi Readers! If you're following my story and see two emails about this new chapter, it's because I made some post-published changes to the story (mostly minor.) Feel free to review and give me feedback on what you think of the story so far!

-2-

Veronica Mars wasn't a dummy. Her mother was pulling out all the stops that night - the pork loin was roasting in the oven, and a still-warm strawberry rhubarb pie was on the kitchen counter. It kicked Veronica's salivary glands into overdrive - there was nothing more enticing than her mother's homemade strawberry rhubarb pie but Veronica's suspicions were immediately aroused. Lianne wanted to get on Veronica's good side so she could fortify her relationship with Keith. The past year had taken a toll on relationships all around. It had brought to light those that had already started to bend - before the town took sides over Lilly's murder. Once upon a time, Veronica would find herself thinking, everything was perfect. Or seemed perfect. Now she questioned her memory's reliability. When things grew challenging, everything fell apart, almost too easily.

"Honey, come set the table. Your father's going to be home soon." Veronica wanted to scoff at her mother's Norman Rockwell-esque tone of voice but instead stood up from her groove in the couch and headed to the china cupboards. She didn't know what had gotten into her lately - except for the gaping Lilly-sized hole, her life was almost back to normal. Almost.

Her father arrived home fifteen minutes later. He gave Veronica a kiss on the forehead and an awkward one on Lianna's cheek. Whatever fluid grace they used to possess around each other had vanished. They operated in fits and starts, like strangers playing pretend. The tense silence that ensued when they were seated for dinner made that all the more apparent. Keith was the first to speak. "I pulled over Logan Echolls for speeding on my way home tonight." Veronica knew better than to react. She didn't meet Keith's eyes and continued to silently poke at her food as Lianne made the responding inquiries about Logan. "That boy is a seething ball of resentment", Keith said. "Given the treatment he's received from this town, I'm not sure I wouldn't be a mess, too."

They knew just how close they had come to a reversal of situation with the Echolls family. After all, it was Veronica who informed Keith of Lilly's secret stash in the air vent - leading to the discovery of the Aaron Echolls sex tapes and his subsequent arrest. But there had been a moment, for about a day or so, where eyes turned towards the Mars in suspicion. It was insinuated, loudly, that Keith Mars was using the scandal for his own personal gain. It pained Veronica to see her best friend remembered by the rest of the world as the "Echolls passaround hussy" (she couldn't bring herself to repeat the more offensive names she'd read and heard.) It pained her equally to see Logan treated so poorly - Dick Casablancas and his cronies hadn't waited a day to pounce on Logan, taunting him in person and online. That first week, he spent every single afternoon engaged in parking lot brawls; showing up bruised and battered the following morning. Since his fall from grace, she tried to reach out to him but Logan rebutted her attempts to resume the friendship. The last time she tried was at Shelley Pomeroy's end-of-year party. He'd shown up, already drunk and belligerent. It didn't stop him from drinking his way through the party while being rejected by nearly every person he encountered, including Duncan. Veronica didn't know how he took himself home; he was passed out when she left the party.

Once upon a time, everything was perfect. Duncan and herself, Logan and Lilly. The perfect couples living the perfect Southern Californian life. It was supposed to last forever. Lilly wasn't supposed to die - Veronica couldn't help the wave of anger she felt at Lilly (How could Lilly be so selfish? She ruined everything!) that was quickly washed away with stinging shame. She and Duncan weren't supposed to break up - but after everything that had happened, she knew they were done. She'd accepted it, could even be cordial with the boy she once loved deeply. But how could she not? Would he turn on her too, the way he did with Logan? No, Veronica knew she was not the same person anymore. They couldn't go back, which was why it was so laughable watching Lianne doing all she could to preserve something that didn't exist anymore and that perhaps never had in the first place. It would be so laughable if Veronica wasn't so close to the verge of tears. Lilly's death was a stone dropped in a still pond; there was no doubt they would feel the ripples for a long time to come.

"It sounds like you want to do something about it", Veronica said, finally looking up from her dinner plate.

Keith nodded. "I do. I am going to do something."

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Keith?" Lianne held up her hands as two pairs of eyes swiveled to her. Hastily, she explained, "Not that it's not the right thing to do. But, hear me out. From what I remember, he was out of control even before everything happened. Don't you want to at least consider that you might be taking on more than you can swallow?"

"How can you say something like that?" In her imagination, Veronica saw Lilly smirking at her sense of outrage, all but saying: Guilty much, Ver-on-ica? It didn't stop her from continuing on. "What if I were in Logan's shoes? Wouldn't you want someone looking out for me? You don't even know how bad it is for him in school. The things his 'friends' say and do…" Keith laid a hand on Veronica's arm. She gave him an equally accusatory look. "Don't tell me you don't know, Dad. Or agree. I know you feel the same way I do."

"Veronica," Lianne's tone was conciliatory. Like she was talking down a skittish colt. "I know you're upset. I'm not saying we shouldn't help him out, I'm just saying…"

"I know exactly what you're saying. I would like to be excused from this table." When Lianne looked like she wanted to say more, Veronica squeezed her eyes shut and kicked off from her chair. "Please."

Her mother's posture slumped, for a moment, and she almost looked ready to acknowledge the truth of their situations. That would have been preferable to what she actually did - which was give Veronica a bright smile. "Of course, honey. I'll save you a slice of pie."

Keith and Lianne watched Veronica pull away and return upstairs to her bedroom. They heard the door slam shut. Lianne cleared her throat and drank from her glass of water. She squeezed Keith's hand. "Teenagers, right? Next week, she won't even remember we had this conversation."

Keith could only give a small nod of his head; they finished dinner in silence, each lost in their own troubled thoughts.


The following Monday after school let out, Logan found himself voluntarily and without reason, walking into the Sheriff's department. When he announced himself to the woman at the front desk, she told him that Keith Mars was wrapping up a meeting and gestured him to wait. Deputy Lamb walked by - they shared a look of mutual dislike but managed to restrain themselves from any outright confrontation.

Before Logan could talk himself into walking out, Keith appeared and ushered him behind closed doors. "I'm glad you decided to take me up on my offer. It's not going to be the most exciting job, but it'll keep you busy." Keith was sure Logan was aware working in the Sheriff's office would provide him with a slight buffer. The boy sat in front of him, slouched into the chair. An air of entitlement (or pride?) had yet to be stripped from Logan. It reminded Keith of a family vacation taken the year before Veronica started high school. The three of them spent a week in the deep South, touring plantations. In spite of the terrible foundation upon which these structures were built, they were still a marvel to behold, even coming from a town which did not suffer from a lack of grand houses. Logan was like one of those old mansions that had fallen on hard times and was crumbling, piece by piece. Veronica had been obsessed with photographing the decaying buildings - she said it was infinitely more interesting than the well-maintained ones.

"Why are you doing this? The Sheriff's office has not been known to be particularly kind to the Echolls."

"Why?" Keith leaned in. "Because I remember when you used to come over and my wife would make you a sandwich and you'd say, 'Thank you, Mrs. Mars.' That's why."

Logan dropped his eyes. He was silent for a full minute. Keith could see the internal struggle. He kept silent as well, all but willing Logan to accept his help. Finally, the young man nodded, slowly. His voice sounded rusty, as if it had been hours instead of minutes since he last used it. "Where, uh, where do you want me to start?"