Chapter 11 – Sail across the sun

Tell me did you sail across the sun

Wednesday rolled around and Lily and Veronica were in the kitchen making lasagne for dinner. Duncan had yet to return from the office and Logan was at Mac and Dick's going over some of his investment portfolios with Mac. Veronica had taken time to teach Lily to love food as much as she did, so the two of them were having a nice time preparing the meal together. Lily had started on making a salad and was thoughtfully chewing a stick of carrot.

Veronica looked at her and said, "So, I think we should wait to tell your dad until he's finished all his food, and had at least two beers. He'll be feeling all nice and sleepy then."

Lily nodded, "That sounds just about right."

"You've done nothing wrong, and it's not like we're trying to deceive your dad, we just don't want him overreacting. I mean, he will overreact, you're his baby girl, but hopefully he'll have mellowed a bit by the time we tell him. Uncle Logan has promised to be on his best behaviour and be helpful too," Veronica told Lily.

Just as Lily finished the salad she and Veronica heard the front door open. Lily wiped her hands on her apron, put down her knife and ran through the house to greet her father. She reached up and kissed his cheek as she gave him a quick hug.

"Hi Daddy! How was your day?" Lily asked.

"Fine thanks sweetheart. Did you have a good day at school?"

"School was fine, just normal," Lily answered.

Duncan suddenly sniffed the air and looked and Lily and asked, "Is that lasagne?"

Lily smiled her infectious smile and replied, "Yep! Aunt Veronica and I have been cooking! She and Uncle Logan are having dinner with us. Nice surprise?"

"It sounds wonderful Lily," Duncan told his daughter.

Lily slipped her hand into her father's and they walked into the kitchen to see Veronica standing there, occupied with her phone. She had just sent Logan a message saying, "Showtime!"

Duncan saw Veronica standing there, garbed in a similar apron to Lily's and felt a little pang in his chest. It wasn't that he missed Veronica exactly, or rather the role she use to play in his life, he missed having someone to share his life with. He loved his daughter dearly, and with Veronica, and other people's involvement, she lacked for nothing, but Duncan still felt like something was missing for him. He wanted to come home and find that there was someone waiting for him at home.

Veronica greeted Duncan, got him a beer from the fridge, and he sat down, loosening his tie and Lily went into the dining room to set the table. Veronica and Duncan heard Lily let Logan into the house not ten minutes later and soon enough the four of them were sitting down eating dinner. Sure enough Veronica had produced another beer for Duncan to have during the meal and they all sat eating happily. Well Duncan and Logan were happy, and Veronica was not worried about the coming conversation, but Lily was feeling quite apprehensive about talking to her father. Consequently she picked at her food, instead of enjoying it as she usually did. Duncan noted her behaviour and said, "Is everything alright Lily?"

"Yeah it's fine, I was just thinking," Lily answered, and then set to work at eating her food.

"How was Mac?" Veronica asked Logan, looking to move the topic of conversation on quickly.

"She was eating a tomato, apple and cheese sandwich," Logan answered, grimacing.

Veronica shuddered as well. "At least she's feeling well enough to eat," Veronica commented.

Duncan chuckled and said, "I think eating that would make me feel sick!"

Once they had all finished eating Veronica looked meaningfully at Lily and Lily gulped, drank half of her glass of water in one go, and then said, "Daddy, Aunt Veronica and I have something we wanted to talk to you about."

Duncan immediately looked wary, use to the combination of his daughter and his long time friend's minds. "Yes," Duncan said, drawing the word out slowly.

"Would it be alright if Lily went out on Saturday night, to the movies?" Veronica asked.

"Yeah Daddy, just to a movie, nothing ending too late either," Lilly added.

"That sounds reasonable," Duncan said cautiously. "So, what's the catch?"

Lily and Veronica looked guilty and Logan watched on in amusement.

A light went on in Duncan's head and he asked, "Who do you want to go with?"

"You see there's this boy," Lily began quietly.

Duncan looked crestfallen and Lily jumped up and put her arms around her father's neck. "Daddy, I don't want to marry him, I just want to see a movie with him," she reassured him.

"You're just my little girl, you'll always be my little girl," Duncan told her.

"I know Daddy, but really, all I want to do is go to a movie with this boy. You can even meet him if you want," Lily stated, deciding it might make her father feel a little better.

Duncan sighed resignedly, and Logan and Veronica continued to watch the interaction. Logan sat there suddenly hoping that he would have a conversation like this when he had a daughter, one day.

"What's his name?" Duncan asked his daughter.

"Harry Carter," Lily informed him. "I really like him Daddy," she said earnestly.

Duncan stored the name Harry Carter in his mind for later, he would have to get Veronica to do a background get on him.

"Well…" Duncan said slowly.

"Daddy, please just say I can go. You'd like him, really you would. He plays soccer, and I like him, and he's nice to me. You know I don't just go out with anyone, in fact, I've never gone out with anyone, and I tell you about all the boys who ask me out," Lily said pleadingly.

"You can go, but I do want to meet him," Duncan said, giving way at last. "And, I promise to be on my best behaviour."

Lily squealed with happiness and hugged her father enthusiastically. "May I pleased be excused?" Lily asked.

"Just clear your things then you can be excused," Duncan said indulgently.

With that, Lily left the room and soon could be heard flying upstairs, presumably to contact whoever she needed to, to debrief on the whole conversation.

The adults stayed sitting at the dinner table. Veronica smiled encouragingly at Duncan and he grinned weakly back.

"How long have you known?" Duncan asked her.

"Only since Monday," Veronica answered.

"You did well DK," Logan added. "I don't know if I would have handled it as well."

"When the time is right, you'll know what to do," Duncan told him. "I guess in the end, all you want is for them to be happy and safe, and I can't see any reason why she wouldn't be, going on one date with this boy."

"He's Luke's nephew Duncan. Maybe it's time for a junior high soccer boys reunion? I'm going help her find something to wear, so you don't need to worry about that either," Veronica reassured Duncan. "Besides, Lily's taste in clothing is impeccable. Everything will be fine."

"Actually," Duncan began, "there is something you can do for me. Can you do a background check on this guy?"

Veronica looked at Logan and they both burst into laughter. Eventually Logan composed himself enough to get out, "I already asked her to, and she already had. He's clean."

Duncan chuckled weakly and Veronica and Logan kept laughing.

The next afternoon Veronica picked Lily up in her Audi and the two made their way to the mall in search of a new outfit for Lily.

"I will never get tired of this car Aunt Ronica," Lily said serenely. "Now that I can drive, will you let me drive it?"

"Me neither and probably, when you've had a bit more practice," Veronica replied. "Sometimes I think I can quite decide which I like better, the car or the ring."

"Aunt Veronica!" Lily exclaimed, aghast.

"I'm only joking, of course I like the car better," Veronica said.

Lily swatted at her and Veronica laughed. "We all know I wouldn't trade Logan for a million cars," Veronica said seriously.

"I know," Lily replied. "Sometimes I wonder if Daddy is lonely, you know. He never says anything, but if I was him I'd feel like the odd man out sometimes."

"I suppose he might be," Veronica said thoughtfully. "But your dad is a grown up, and if he wants to date I guess he will. He loves you, and he's happy, so I guess we need to leave it at that for now."

Veronica and Lily walked into the mall and made their way down the line of shops.

"Oh excuse me!" Lily exclaimed. "I'm sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going."

Lily had just walked into another shopper. Veronica looked and saw that she had bumped into none other than Weevil.

"Weevil!" Veronica exclaimed.

"V," Weevil replied. "It's been a while."

"I haven't seen you in months," Veronica said apologetically.

"I guess we've both been busy," Weevil said understandingly. He looked curiously at Lily, Veronica caught the look and realised they had never met.

"I'm sorry Weevil! This is Lily, Duncan's daughter. I told you he'd moved back. Lily Kane, meet Eli 'Weevil' Navarro. We all went to Neptune High together," Veronica explained.

"It's nice to meet you," Lily said. Weevil just stood there looking at the girl who was so similar to his first love. "Did you know my mother?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, I knew your mom," Weevil answered. "She was one of the nicest people at Neptune High. I knew your Aunt Lilly as well," Weevil added quietly.

Lily's eyes were shining, she loved meeting people who knew the loved ones she'd never met.

"How are Carmen and the kids?" Veronica asked pleasantly.

"Great. Carmen is still teaching, and Abbie is part the terrible part of the twos. Benji will be starting school next fall, so that will be interesting," Weevil told her. "What's up with you?"

Lily grabbed Veronica's left hand and held it up in front of Weevil's face.

"Huh, so Echolls finally popped the question," Weevil said. "I'm happy for you V."

"Thanks Weevil," Veronica replied. "Anyway, we'd better head off, we've got some serious shopping to do. Say hi to Carmen and the kids for me!"

"It was nice to meet you," Lily added.

"Veronica Mars, voluntarily shopping? God help us all," Weevil said jokingly. "Bye V, keep Echolls in line. Goodbye Lily." With that they parted, with Weevil thinking of his Lilly, remembering her now only with fondness. The minute he stepped inside his house she was forgotten and his mind was filled with his beautiful wife and loving children.

After a successful afternoon of shopping Veronica dropped Lily home and promised, "I'll come over to help you get ready on Saturday. I think it would be good for your dad if there's someone around before and after you go."

"Thank you Aunt Ronica, and thanks for today. That sounds great!" Lily responded.

"I think I'll get Logan to come too, and Dick and Mac. Maybe even Wallace and Amanda," Veronica said musingly. "If there's a whole bunch of us here he might be distracted enough not to over think your absence."

"Maybe you could even bring an extra friend?" Lily suggested. "Surely between you, Aunt Mac and Amanda there must be a single friend you could invite to even up the numbers."

Veronica chuckled ruefully. "Sometimes you are so much like your Aunt Lilly that it is scary!"

Lily made her way into the house, laden down by shopping bags and Veronica pulled out from the curb to go home. Regardless of what she had said to Lily she was thinking contemplatively about Duncan and his love life, or his lack thereof.

Veronica pulled up outside her dad's house. She and Logan decided she would live there until their marriage, even though Veronica stayed over several nights a week. They hadn't set a date yet, but both were looking with favour upon a summer wedding. Their engagement had hit the tabloids. Logan wasn't as important Hollywood news as he had been when Aaron and Lynn were still alive, but he was still news, and famous on his own merits now too.

Veronica walked inside and set her keys on the table. A young Golden Labrador came gambolling over to her, begging for attention. Veronica bent down and scratched his ears. The dog was only a year old, but he had wormed he way into Veronica's heart. Actually, she had loved him from the minute her dad had brought him home. Keith had decided that they had all been too long without a dog, not having had the heart to get another too soon after Backup's death.

Veronica changed into a pair of sweats and a hoodie, grabbed Digs' leash and put him in the car and drove to the dog beach. Digs had received his name because the day Keith had brought him home he had raced out to the yard on his fat puppy legs and started digging wildly in the garden.

Logan had chuckled while the occupants of the house looked on dismally, if not a little amusedly. "Well at least you know he digs," Logan had said.

"Let call him Digs," Veronica exclaimed.

Keith laughed at his daughter, looked at his wife, and said, "Well why the hell not!"

Digs behaved quite a lot better these days, thanks to a great deal of studious training on the part of Keith. Digs and Veronica played happily together on the beach. The wind was a little cool, but the sun was setting beautifully. Veronica tackled the loveable dog to the sand and kissed the top of his wet, black nose. "I love you Diggy," she told him.

The two of them sat there on the sand, Digs' head in Veronica's lap, Veronica looking out at the ocean, watching a lone yacht sail on the cold winter ocean through the bright orange of the winter sunset.

AN: Thanks for reading :) Let me know what you think and review!