A/N : Here we are at Shelley Pomroy's party, and you guys just know I'm not going to let anything bad happen to Veronica! Not in my fic! But things might get a little... interesting ;-) Thanx as always for the fantabulous reviews!
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 6

"Oh God, what am I doing here?" Mac asked, voice shaking along with her whole body as she stood beside Veronica and they faced the party of the year at Shelley Pomroy's house.

"Relax, Mac" her friend smiled, "It's just a party" she shrugged, having been to these kind of things more often than she cared to count and finding them no more difficult than riding a bike.

The fact was, she just didn't like the idea of spending hours in the company of her drunk so-called friends anymore without any chance of a sensible conversation or anything. She just wanted one person here she could bear to talk to, someone that would stick with her for the duration of what was bound to be an alcohol soaked, crazy party. Mac was that person, or so Veronica had hoped when she called her up and offered her the chance to attend.

"This isn't just a party, Veronica" the brunette shook her head, "This is an 09er party, and I pretty much belong as far away from here as is humanly possible" she noted as several people she'd only ever seen from a distance before staggered past her, already wasted even this early on.

"You're my friend, so you belong here with me, okay?" Veronica told her firmly, "These are just people, like all other people..." she explained, just like she had on the phone several times before she finally got Mac's agreement to come here the only way she knew how, by mentioning the guaranteed presence of...

"Dude!" Dick exclaimed as he stumbled past them and landed on the guy directly behind.

Veronica turned in unison with Mac to see that Logan had just now arrived at the party, and apparently alone. The blonde had really expected him to bring a date, after all the stories she'd heard about his many girlfriends. On the other hand, she hadn't really noticed him spending any particularly long amount of time with any girl. Of all the females attending Neptune High she realised she was probably the one to have spent the most time with the young Mr Echolls, though it was never by design.

"Damn, Dick" Logan chuckled, "The party's barely started. Are you already wasted?"

"Free beer, man!" his friend grinned, like it was reason enough to be trashed by nine thirty, but then for Dick that really was all the excuse he needed right now.

Veronica knew all her friends liked to drink, but she couldn't help but notice that the longer the fighting went on between Dick and Madison, the more he liked to drink, and the more she liked to bitch. It was kind of a vicious cycle too, since drunk Dick led to bitchy Madison and vice versa. Veronica could almost think he'd be better off with Mac. If she just got a little confidence she could most likely keep him in line, and yet she'd treat him better than Ms Sinclair.

"Hey, Dick" she said suddenly, grabbing her friend by the arm and giving her a shove forward, "Have you met my friend Mac?" she grinned, as the brunette pushed her hair behind her ear and shifted nervously.

"Mac" Dick echoed the word as the cogs visibly turned in his head, "Oh, right, the computer chick!" he suddenly said with understanding as he threw an arm around her shoulders and steered her away, "You wanna drink, Computer Chick?" he asked her as they walked away and Veronica didn't hear her friends answer as they disappeared into the throng of people.

"Well, don't they make an interesting couple?" Logan said as he regarded the surfer dude and his so-called computer chick.

"What? You don't think she's good enough for him because she's not an '09er'?" she said with an angry edge to her voice as she folded her arms across her chest.

"Hey, chill out, Veronica" Logan said with an amused smile, "I have nothing against the lower beings" he told her, smile turning to a wicked smirk.

"As much as I know you're probably trying to make a joke" Veronica told him with a similar expression, "You're missing one important thing - the funny part" she told him, suddenly turning serious and stalking away into the crowd.

Logan watched her go, the smirk never leaving his face. As much as she may seem to dislike him, he had the ability to push her buttons. That would do for now, the rest would come later. Veronica was far more of a challenge than other girls he'd been interested in. She was far more fun for being more difficult, and much more worth the chasing as far as Logan could see.

On the other side of a large portion of Neptune High's upper class alumni, Veronica was attempting to find the one girl who ought to stand out. Mac didn't exactly blend at an 09er party, even Veronica had to admit it, at least to herself. Unfortunately, even when the blonde did spot her unlikely friend, she found her in an even more unlikely position, with a drunken Dick Casablancas falling all over her, apparently having a great time.

"That's just... great" Veronica said to herself as she looked around at all the people having a good time without her - Mac with Dick, Lilly with everybody, and strangely her own brother Duncan with Meg Manning, "Well, I guess its just you and me" she said to the punch bowl beside her as she hopped up onto a stool by the bar.

She frowned a little when she realised the fruit drink wasn't even spiked, she was sure Dick or one of the other guys would've gotten to it by now, but whatever. It was probably best she didn't drink, the few times she'd reached states of near-drunkenness before had not ended well. Besides, the only thing worse than just sitting alone was drinking alone, that really was a pathetic pastime. At this point, Veronica was even considering going to find Logan again and actually spend time with him.

"Maybe there is something bad in this" she said thoughtfully, staring into her cup.

"Talking to yourself, Veronica? That's not a good sign" said a voice behind her and she turned to find Casey there with a bottle of beer in his hand.

"I think the general consensus is that I'm going crazy anyway" she smiled wryly, "The talking to myself is just a gimme"

"Nobody thinks you're crazy, Veronica" Casey shook his head, "You're just... I dunno, different lately" he shrugged, "It's like you're somewhere else half the time, or maybe you just wish you were?"

"I honestly wish I could tell you which it is" she sighed, re-filling her cup with more punch as he took the seat beside her for a while, "Casey, don't you ever just feel like... like maybe this isn't all there is? Like you're missing something?"

"I guess, sometimes" he said, with a thoughtful nod of his head, "But if I was part of your family, probably not" he told her, before adding off her confused look, "Don't take this the wrong way but the Kanes get everything they ever want. What more is there?" he asked, apparently rhetorically since he was up and gone before Veronica could come up with any kind of answer, not that one sprang to mind anyway.

Veronica Kane knew she should be the happiest little princess at the party, and even she couldn't really explain why she wasn't. It seemed that she was going to have plenty of time to consider it though, as she sat alone watching the fun and frolics carry on around her. Even Logan seemed to have found some other friends to entertain him, and Mac seemed entirely content to spend her time admiring Dick either up close or from afar depending on how far he felt like staggering at that particular moment.

"Bottoms up" she said to herself, downing a cup of fruit punch, and wishing she had brought her laptop with her - it may not be a usual party accessory, but at least she could be doing something she enjoyed.

Veronica was running through her head all the other things she might be doing were she not here, when she suddenly noticed a presence beside her. She smiled widely at the sight of a friendly face.

"Hey, I thought I'd lost you to the Casablancas charm for the entire party" she teased Mac, who blushed furiously at the suggestion.

"I'm sorry, Veronica" she apologised, tucking her blue streaked hair behind her ear in a strangely uncharacteristic and nervous gesture, "I just... I dunno, he's sweet and... I might never get a chance to hang out like this again, y'know, with him"

"Its okay, Mac" her friend nodded, "I know you like him, and it's fine. Me and my friend the disgusting punch are getting along just fine"

Mac frowned a little as she leant close to the bowl her friend gestured at and sniffed the red liquid within.

"Yeah, that's not good" she said as she recoiled, "Here, take this" she suggested, pushing a paper cup into Veronica's hands, "It's okay, its just a Coke" she smiled as the blonde eyed it suspiciously, "I think sober is probably the way to go tonight, using Dick as an example of the crazy that happens when you drink"

"Good plan" Veronica smiled in agreement as their attention was collectively taken by the young man in question, tripping over a plastic chair and very nearly giving himself a mini-lobotomy on the side of the rather solid table.

"Hey, where's my smart chick?!" he yelled suddenly, "I know I had this... this girl, she was... smart and stuff!"

"I think Prince Charming is calling for you" Veronica told Mac, who was heartily embarrassed by the whole affair, but nonetheless thrilled too.

With apologies to her friend for abandoning her again, she practically ran off to help Dick from the floor, much to his delight. Veronica only hoped, as she watched her newest acquaintance smiling there, that this wasn't all a ruse to get Madison's attention. It wouldn't be the first time she'd seen one of the guys use another girl to get back at their girlfriend or make them jealous. Perhaps she should've warned Mac about that, but then she was supposed to be the 'smart chick' here, and she just looked so happy.

"At least one of us should have a good time" she said to herself, taking a sip of the Coke in her hand, and watching the world go by.

Suddenly, Veronica felt like dancing. She wasn't sure where that feeling came from, after what felt like an eternity of propping up this bar, wishing she was anywhere but here. Still, all of a sudden she was filled with this giggly urge to pull herself to her unsteady feet and dance the night away. Getting up off her stool was more complicated than she'd thought it would be, especially since she'd been on soft drinks all night, still little Miss Kane was undeterred by the floor that tilted under her feet or the fuzziness of her vision as she tripped onto the dance floor and started to shake it.

Her sudden movement from the bar didn't go unnoticed, after all she'd been there pretty much all night, despite various offers to dance or go someplace and talk. Most of the guys that had approached her had been varying degrees of very drunk and Veronica had politely declined any offer of anything from them. Now it seemed she was eager for a partner to boogie with, and any man would do.

"Well, you certainly lightened up this evening" Casey smiled as she was spun from one pair of arms into his more by luck than design, "Something I said?" he checked.

"I like everything you say, Case" she told him, leaning in a little too close for comfort, practically hanging off him by now in fact, "Everything is soooo goood" she stretched out as giggles overtook her and she stumbled a little when they both tried to move.

"Yeah, seems like your everything is beer" he chuckled as he attempted to get her upright and found it more complicated than it should've been.

Veronica soon grew tired of his struggling with her and spun into a new pair of arms, this time belonging to Luke who was so startled he fell back into a waiting chair with Veronica now on his lap.

"Woo! That was fun" she giggled madly, "Wanna have some more fun with me, Luke?" she asked, something he knew she would never do had she been sober.

Unfortunately, it wasn't half so much fun having the pretty blonde all over him as it should've been. In this state, it seemed she could barely stand; he was astounded she knew her own name never mind his.

"Hey, Veronica, come on" Casey said as he moved towards her and attempted to get her up off his friend, "This isn't cool"

"I'm having fun!" she protested, staggering badly as she got to her feet.

All the yelling started to catch the attention of more party goers, and Mac was wide-eyed and entirely shocked when she realised who was making all the fuss. Hurrying over, she grabbed Veronica before she fell and supported her as best she could as she got her to an empty lounger by the pool.

"Veronica! Veronica, can you hear me?" she checked, trying to stop her friend's head lolling and actually get her to look at her.

"Hello, Macky Mac" the blonde laughed, before her smile went south into a frown, "Why is the world turning so fast?" she asked, laying herself down, as the brunette frantically looked around for someone to help her out.

Neither Lilly nor Duncan seemed to be anywhere around, and Mac daren't leave Veronica alone whilst she performed a proper search. Anything could happen to the poor girl, half passed out on a sun lounger at an 09er party that was getting decidedly out of hand. Though Veronica might not be overly pleased about it later, Mac was forced to accept the help of the one person who offered it, turning up just in the nick of time like some kind of knight in shining armour; Logan Echolls.

To Be Continued...