Author: Sally97
Title: Veronica Deals with Lilly's Death Chapter 2
Thank you for the reviews they were great!
Disclaimer, I do not own the rights to Veronica Mars or any of the characters.
"The best way to grieve for someone you love is by grieving in a collective group of people that also loved the deceased."
That word; deceased. That is a disgusting word, so inhuman and non relatable. Lilly is not "the deceased" as the soft voiced, Master of Ceremonies liked to call her. She was the most alive person I have ever met! She could light up a room just by walking in. "Lilly Kane was a beautiful young girl whose time came too early."
Lilly Kane was the sister I never had. We did everything together. I loved her. Lilly Kane was my best friend. And this was her funeral.
There were over four hundred people here, but only about a quarter of them were actually grieving for the loss of a lively 17 year old girl. The Kane's were million heirs. So most of the guests were just here to impress the grieving parents.
We were sitting in a massive orchard with beautiful flowers everywhere. The chairs were facing a sort of stage, with a picture of Lilly near the microphone. She was smiling happily at us. Mr. and Mrs. Kane were seated on the stage, both with red blotchy eyes. Next to them sat Duncan, Lilly's brother and my ex-boyfriend. There were other people on the stage but I didn't recognize them.
As I look around the large orchard I see mostly no one I know, mostly no one who knows Lilly. I see heaps of people from school. Madison Sinclair was sitting about six rows back from me. She had a tear running down her face, she did know Lilly but not as well as me. Dick Cassablancas was sitting near her, along with his little brother, Beaver, and some other guys from school. For the first time ever Dick wasn't talking or being obnoxious, he looked miserable. I caught his eye, and he nodded at me and then turned back to listen to the speaker. Meg Manson was here. I expected her to be. Meg had to be one of the nicest people at school. Her boyfriend, Cole, had his arm around her. She was crying into his shoulder.
I was sitting in the front row of chairs, with Logan sitting next to me. He had an arm around me, protecting me from the grief that had me lying in my bed crying this morning. Logan was staring at the picture of Lilly sadly. They had been going out for a long time.
"The deceased's family would now like to invite Veronica Mars up to the stage to say a few words about Lilly."
That horrible word again. Deceased.
"Veronica?" Logan gently pulls me to my feet, "It's your turn to speak."
I let Logan steer me towards the stage. He was practically carrying me up the few steps to the stage.
I didn't need to practice my speech or write it down. I knew it in my heart.
"Lilly was my best friend." I start off, my throat catching on the past tense of was. "We were like sisters." I glance at Duncan behind me, who was staring at his feet, and then at Logan standing next to me. "The four of us, Lilly, Duncan, Logan and I, we were our own little family." A tear falls down my cheek. "Lilly would always call us the Fab Four." I say with a watery smile at Logan, who chuckled also with tears in his eyes. "Next year would have been Lilly's senior year at high school. But now she'll never get that experience." I couldn't see anymore, because I was crying so much. I could feel the pain and grief trying to swallow me whole again. "Lilly was the most alive person I have..." I couldn't talk, it just wouldn't come out. Then an arm came around my shoulders, a comforting, strong arm. I look up into Logan's tear stained eyes. Finding the courage I needed to continue.
I clear my throat, and with a shuddering breath I continue. "Lilly was the most alive person I have ever met! She could light up a room just by walking in. Lilly was crazy, funny, stubborn, annoying, silly and brave. She made my life insane, but unforgettable. I loved Lilly, and I always will. Not a second goes by that I don't miss her, not one second! But I will carry her in my heart, always!"
I look down at my shaking hands. The crowed was quiet. Suddenly everyone starts clapping. I look up and see that everyone in the crowd has tears in their eyes.
"That was brilliant Veronica!" Logan whispers to me as pulls me into a hug.
"That, ladies and gentlemen, will conclude our service. A wake will be held at the Kane's house. Thank you for coming." The soft voiced MC says to the crowd.
Logan takes my hand and we make our way back to his car. My dad couldn't come because he was too busy at the sheriff's office trying to catch Lilly's killer, and my mum couldn't come because she wasn't feeling too well. So Logan was my ride to and from the funeral and wake. We liked each other's company so the carpooling didn't bother either of us.
Just as we reach Logan's car, Mr. Kane catches up with us. With tears in his eyes, he pulls me into a warm hug. "Thank you!" he says to me as he pulls away. He shakes Logan's hand then walks back to his own car.
Logan helps me into the car, and then gets in the other side. We sit in comfortable silence as he drives us to the Kane's house.
As we reach the gate to the Kane's Neptune, California home, we see a group of paparazzi taking photos of the people in the cars driving through the gates. Logan's face becomes enraged and his grip on the steering wheel tightens, his nuckels becoming white. I gently place my hand on his thigh, trying to calm him down.
"Logan," I say calmly, "they are just trying to get a story. Don't do anything you'll regret."
And just like always Logan calms down at the sound of my voice and my touch. He pulls into a free car park and stretches his hands, trying to get the feeling back into them. He looks over and smiles weakly at me, and then he looks back down at his hands, frowning.
"Every time I don't think of her, I feel like I'm dishonoring her memory." He says slowly, still looking down.
"Like, whenever you feel happy, or smile, it's like how can I be happy when Lilly is dead?" I say looking up at him. "I know the feeling."
He runs his hands through his hair, and then looks back at me. We stare at each other for a moment, and then he leans down and kisses me lightly on the mouth. I pull away, shocked by the kiss. Then he pulls me back in and I let him. Kissing him back with the same passion. His breathing quickens and he runs his hands though my hair. He smells so intoxicating and I press myself closer to his body. My hands are at his waist and they slowly make there way up to his neck, where they stay.
Logan's phone suddenly beeps, and we break apart gasping for breath. Logan smiles broadly at me, and I smile shyly back. He fishes his still beeping phone out of his pocket.
"Duncan text me, he's looking for me."
"Um, well, we should, yeah." I blush.
Logan smiles at me again, then gets out of the car and walks over to my side, and opens the door.
"Thanks!" I say with a smile as I get out.
"Your welcome."
We walk towards the house together, Logan with his arm protectively around my small shoulders.
I sigh as we walk through the front doors. All these horrible people, that didn't even know or care about Lilly, were about to make idle conversation with me saying stuff like "I'm sorry for your loss" or "It'll take time but you'll get over it."
They probably aren't sorry for my loss, it gave them a great way into the Kane's good books, go to their daughter's funeral and you'll get a promotion. And I know for a fact that I'm never going to "get over" the death of my best friend!
A tear rolls down my face as a new wave of grief crashes into me. Logan looks down at me and sees that I'm about to fall apart again.
"Hey? Let's find a seat." Lagan gently tows me towards an empty sofa.
A familiar face comes walking through the crowd of unknown people. I move over closer to Logan to make room for Dick who sits down next to me.
"Hey." He says sounding miserable.
"Hi." I say back.
"So... how are you holding up Veronica? He says looking at me with slight concern, which is so unusual for Dick. He has never particularly liked me and the feeling was mutual, but we tolerated each other for Duncan and Logan's sake.
"I'm... I'm how you'd expect me to feel." I say, not really wanting to put into words how wrecked I was feeling.
Logan's arm once again comes protectively over my shoulder. A tear falls down my cheek. With a reproachful glance at Dick, to change the subject, Logan pulls me into a hug.
"Hey guys? Veronica's dad is here." Dick says. We break a part quickly, with me blushing. I stand up to walk over to my Dad, when he gives me a slight shake of his head.
He walks straight over to Mr. Kane and talks to him quietly for a few seconds. Everyone had seen my Dad walk in, and they were now watching with mild interest. "What?" Mr. Kane yells at Dad, "you are arresting me for the murder of my daughter? What evidence do you have?"
"We just want to ask you a few more questions down at the station, and if you don't come quietly we'll have to be more formal." Dad says sternly.
Mr. Kane follows Dad out of the house. But the whole front room is only glass; so we all watch as my Father makes Jake Kane, the local million heir, get in the back of his Sheriff department car.
The whole time I'd been watch this go down my mouth had been gaping open and I was in complete shock. Mr. Kane wouldn't, couldn't have killed Lilly!
Suddenly I realize that everyone was staring at me. Then Celeste Kane, Lilly and Duncan's mum and Jake Kane's wife, walks over to me.
"Veronica dear, I think it would be best if you'd leave." She says to me, with the most forced smile I have ever seen, "Now." She says, her eyes like daggers. Well it seems like looks can't kill, because if they could I would be so very dead about now. But I just stared at her, with wide eyes.
I was being kicked out of my best friend's house! Ever since I had become friends with Lilly, this house had been like a second home to me, I was always welcome at the Kane's house. But I was being kicked out of Lilly's wake, let a long her home!
All the guests were staring at me and it was dead silent.
I turned around to look at Logan.
Please Logan, I know that you love Jake Kane like a second father, and Duncan is your best friend, but please come to my rescue!
I catch his eyes and I look at him with pleading in my eyes. But he just turned away. Anger clearly shown on his face.
I suddenly turn back around to face Mrs. Kane, with tears in my eyes. I can't believe Logan just did that! How long have we been friends? Forever!
God, I wish I could just melt into the floor.
"I'll leave!" I snap at Mrs. Kane as I walk straight past her and out the doors.