"Hey, buddy," Veronica coos at her favorite little mutt. "Who's my good boy?" She continues as she scratches beside his ear and on his neck.

Backup wags his tail happily, enjoying the feel of her fingers and her unreserved affection.

"Wanna go for a walk, boy?" She chuckles at his enthusiastic response. Before bringing her home, Logan had dropped off Heather at her friends house so Veronica resigned herself to walking Backup alone - not that she minded, she enjoyed whatever alone time she could get.

The beach air feels nice against her skin, a bit chilly but it's a welcomed feeling since the sun is bright and warm.

She throws Backup his ball and he eagerly runs to and back; it's relaxing for her to leisurely throw the ball to him and have him running toward her like a bundle of happiness with the ball in his mouth.

He's the best dog; Heather and her had wanted a dog for as long as she could remember - well she even longer than Heather. Her mother was against the idea, so that's why she never had a dog for the first thirteen years of her life.

And after that, it was difficult to convince their father because he'd worked long hours and Meg was wary about the responsibility so it'd been deemed that it was too much for two little girls to handle.

And then she'd turned sixteen and one of the service dogs had given birth to six puppies. When Veronica found out about it, she'd tilted her head and battered her lashes at her dad, promising to take full responsibility and he'd caved. It's one of the happiest moments of her life and she's sure Heather feels the same way. And once the dog was in the house, Meg fell in love with him too.

Veronica had gone with Backup through training lessons with the other service dogs and he'd graduated with flying colours. Only difference was that she got to take him home and play with him like a regular dog but at his core, Backup is a guard dog - filled with intense desire to protect her and the family at all costs.

Veronica was busy laughing at Backup who was playing around with the birds, taking pictures of him on the beach running around and reacting to everything that she hadn't noticed Duncan Kane calling her name until he was about five feet away.

Duncan hardly ever came to Dog beach so she knows this isn't a coincidence. She feels her body go rigid because really she was expecting for her to be just a girl with a dog for just a few more hours before having to deal with her life.

"Veronica…" he says, he's got this confused-conflicted look on his face and Veronica feels her heart race.

She knows this face - this face wants to talk and lay bare her soul - and she has the urge to yell for Backup to come back to her and protect her from being emotionally vulnerable against Duncan Kane.

But she can't do that. She's been hiding and running - ducking out of windows and putting up a Logan Echolls shaped wall in front of them and she knows that Duncan deserves some answers but she really doesn't want to give them to him.

"I've been trying to talk to you. I came by, and nobody could find you…" he frowns. "And now you're dating Logan Echolls?" He scoffs, like he doesn't believe it and he's not wrong because their relationship isn't real but she feels offended.

"Why? Is it so hard to believe someone would like me?" She hates how her words gut her. She's never had a real boyfriend before, all she has is her letters and what could have been and it hurts that Duncan - this boy who has been with her through so much - might think that she's not good enough for someone to like her enough to actually be with. After all, he'd chosen Meg over her. Just like Logan had chosen Lilly. And Leo had chosen Sarah.

"No, no," he shakes his head, brows knitted in deep concentration. "That's not what I'm saying, what I mean is that he's not good for you, Veronica."

She balks away at that. Her chest swells with hurt. "Oh, but he's good enough for your sister."

"I didn't mean it like that. Lilly's life is a party and Logan's life is the same. Yours isn't, you're the sweet and innocent girl that likes to to be home with her family, and I don't know, I guess Logan doesn't strike me as someone who would be into that."

She fights the tears. Was that really what Duncan thought of her? Sure, she loved her family, that was a part of her but there was more to her than being the good little daughter to Sheriff Keith Mars.

And it stings her more than she'd care to admit that he's voicing these thoughts that she'd had herself; Logan isn't someone that'd be into her.

She tells herself that it's because once upon a time she'd liked Logan and it's not because he's reappeared in her life.

"You know what, Duncan? Maybe, I'm not that innocent. And if that's all that you wanted to talk to me about then I'm just," she starts to walk away, toward Backup and just leave this whole afternoon behind her.

"No, no, Veronica, wait," he sighs and brings out the letter, her letter and she freezes. "I don't understand. What is this?"

She takes a deep breath, she can feel her face get hot in embarrassment, knowing that he knows things he wasn't supposed to know.

Her heart is racing against her chest and she doesn't really know what to say. She wishes Logan were here, he'd have her back like he'd done with Leo and just make this whole moment - conversation - disappear and then Duncan and her could be friends again and everything would go back to normal.

"I mean, it's from you, right?" He hands her the letter and she takes it, she wants to tear it to pieces and pretend she'd never seen it before

"Yes. But no. I wrote it," she wants to die as she explains this. She'd rather be taking a risk and kissing Logan Echolls again than having this conversation. "But I didn't send it."

"What is that supposed to mean, Veronica?

"Look, Duncan. I wrote that a long time ago," she says, struggling with the words. "I don't even remember when."

"But this is all new for me, Veronica. I'm trying to understand here."

"There's nothing to understand, Duncan. It was a mistake. You should have never seen it."

"But I did see it!" He shouts, frustrated and in despair and she flinches. It takes all of three seconds before Backup is at her side, barking at Duncan, ready to attack and Veronica assumes the only reason he hasn't attacked already is because he knows Duncan and is waiting for her command.

Duncan flinches away, the most hurt look on his face and she feels torn.

She swallows, the entire situation has shook her. "Backup," she says, as calming as she possibly can. "Be cool."

Backup immediately eases up but he stands diligently at Veronica's side, carefully watching the boy in front of her. She hooks his leach on his collar, just in case.

"I - just - what am I supposed to do now?"

"I don't know. Not tell Meg," she pleas, wide panicked eyes because the thought of her sister knowing physically hurts.

"Meg's not even talking to me."

"I'm sorry, Duncan. I have to go-"

"That's it?" Duncan says, a little too loudly for Backups liking because he growls. "Meg dumps me and you're dating Logan and we can't even be friends anymore?"

"I want to be friends with you, Duncan but I don't know how to be friends with you like this. We can't go back to how it was before you and Meg were dating and we can't go back to how it was when you and Meg were dating."

We can't go back to before you read my letter.

"If I knew I was gonna lose you both I never would have -"

"Stop," she says, her voice raw with emotion "Just don't finish that sentence." She tugs at Backups leach and makes her way to her car, leaving an anguished Duncan behind her.