Still don't own, and please review!

This partially takes place immediately after The Wrath of Con.

Inspirational message of the day:

The people you love become ghosts inside of you and like this you keep them alive – Robert Montgomery

Lilly Kane was no fool.

She was no goody-two shoes, and she wasn't winning any awards for purity any time soon, but she was no fool.

So when she saw Logan and Veronica trying to kill each other in the pool one summer afternoon, her first thought of now that, ladies and gentlemen, is the one that could last absolutely froze her.

Except then she had laughed, because of the utter impossibility of it.

She'd known Veronica Mars long enough to know the girl had a heart of gold and an attitude she had to have inherited from Sheriff Mars. But the girl was all wrapped up in insecurity and pink frills and well, frankly, virginity.

Not that she thought Ronnie needed sex, but some passion would be nice.

Veronica Mars the hellion would be a sight to see. Imagine the damage they could do together. The hearts they would own.

And people thought she wasn't a romantic.

The chair next to her creaked as Duncan settled.

"Hey, no drowning! I have too much homework to help hide a body today!" Duncan called.

The two in the pool didn't seem to hear as Veronica shrieked at something Logan was doing.

Lilly flipped her magazine with a smirk, watching Duncan watch Veronica. "You ever going to do anything about that itch, little brother?"

"Shut up, Lilly." But he was smiling at her.

"You never know, you don't make a move, someone else might first."

Duncan frowned. "Like who?"

Lilly let her eyes slide to where Logan now was out-swimming the irate blonde.

"Logan?" Duncan blinked. "Are you crazy?" He shook his head. "Lil, if you don't know that he's head over heels in love with you, you're an idiot."

"Oh, I know he is. And he wouldn't cheat."

"No, just you do that," Duncan said coolly.

"I don't cheat."

"No, you just break up with him long enough to avoid cheating and then you drag him back in. Huge difference, Lil," he said sarcastically.

"'Love is friendship set on fire,'" Lilly said quickly, glaring at her brother.

"What?"

"It's something Logan has underlined in one of his inspirational quote books." She shrugged. "I was reading one of them one time. Did you know how many books he has that are utterly boring?"

"I didn't even know he knew how to read," Duncan said as though in shock. "Alert the media!"

"Shut up." She grinned. "It's just, he caught me reading it, and I pointed out the quote. And he told me his belief is that the best relationships come from long friendships. And he and I have never been friends."

"Because you decided to claim him the moment he moved to town," Duncan muttered.

Lilly ignored him. "But he and Veronica. They're friends. Best friends. Sometimes, I think he understands her better than I do."

"Ah, that's the issue. Someone better than Lilly Kane at something. What else are you feeling insecure about today? Want to accuse Veronica of having a crush on him this time around?"

"No, that's hilarious. She thinks he's got issues and she knows better than to think he wouldn't break her heart. But she's got to have noticed he's hot." At Duncan's worried look she smirked. "Don't worry, Donut, she likes nice boys. And one thing Logan will never ever be is a nice boy."

Logan sat in front of the Lilly Kane memorial fountain and sipped on the flask he'd carried around during the dance.

"You're still here," a surprised voice said.

Logan smirked, but didn't turn. "You too."

There was shuffling and then Veronica sat down beside him. Out of reach, of course, but not on the other side of the room. A week ago, hell, a few hours ago, he might have said something spiteful about that. But somehow, this place had become an unspoken neutral territory.

"Your boyfriend is probably missing you, Ronnie."

Veronica smiled. "I needed some air. And while he's no you, he is a bit handsy." She winced. "Though I guess part of that is my fault."

Logan looked at her and blinked, taking her in. "You're wearing a red dress."

"Ladies and gentlemen, he knows his colors," Veronica said wryly.

Logan snorted. "So what did you do that made him want to be… handsy? Did you really say handsy?"

Veronica smiled up at the fountain and then reached out a hand expectantly.

It took him a moment, and then he handed over the flask, shocked.

"Never have I ever gone skinny dipping." And then she took a drink. "I made them stop the limo on the way here." She grinned. "I made Troy stay in his seat."

Logan sputtered out a laugh after taking his own drink. "You're kidding!"

"I thought it was a better memorial to her than this thing."

Logan nodded. "She would have agreed."

"She loved you, Logan."

Logan smiled. "Yeah. She loved you, too." He shifted, remembering his earlier thoughts. "I've been an ass to you this past year. She would have kicked my ass for it, you know?"

"Yep." Veronica grinned at him when he looked over. "She would have."

He noticed she didn't forgive him, but it didn't surprise him, not really. The old Ronnie, she would have blushed and ducked her head and immediately given a speech on how he had always been and would always be her friend and then she would have forgiven him.

This Ronnie, Veronica rather, well, he'd have to earn it.

"I wasn't good enough for her, you know?" He smiled. "I loved her, but it wasn't enough. She was always too much to hold onto. She used to joke around and call me her bad boy, but I don't think it was enough, at all."

Veronica sighed. "Why couldn't she have liked a nice boy?" But there was just enough of the teasing in her voice for him not to get angry.

"Hi, I can be a nice boy," Logan said defensively.

Veronica took a breath, about to joke, or advise, or hell, probably criticize.

Troy's voice echoed out into the quad and Veronica sighed and stood quickly. She looked at Logan for a moment, then seemed to make a decision and came to stand over him.

He blinked up at her, waiting on her to say something that would either make him want to kill her or make him want to cry. It was always a fun toss-up between the two of them.

Instead she leaned down and looked him in the eye. "You may have been her bad boy, Logan, but you will never be the nice boy." He was too surprised to answer, despite the irritation that came from her words. Then she moved and kissed the top of his head. "What matters is that you become a good man. And that we always remember her." She grinned. "She'll haunt us if we don't."

Logan nodded and laughed slightly and watched her walk back to the dance.

Lilly Kane had been no fool, he thought to himself. She was the one that had picked Veronica, drug her along and made her one of them. And it had been the best choice she could have ever made.