A/N: Sorry about the no separation between chapters, I had been using symbols and while they were still there in editing when I posted they didn't show up. Also, the chapters get posted faster if I see that people are reading, so please review. I like feedback so that I know where to go with things.

Chapter Twelve

Mac entered the office of Mars Investigations and joined Veronica in what used to Keith's office. "So, your dad gave you're the files?"

"And you have the computer?" Veronica asked as she looked at the notes she had already made. "Turns out that there was another Thompson, but she was a niece not her daughter. I found all of this by contacting a neighbor. She said that Mrs. Thompson was close to her niece and that she died weeks after giving birth."

"She died?" Mac asked as she set up the computer and then her own. Connecting to the Internet, she looked up and was debating how to give Veronica the news then just bluntly said "I know what is going on with your mother."

"What did you find out?" Veronica asked as she handed Mac the files.

Mac felt a sense of dismay for her friend as she looked at Veronica. "You won't be a match for your mother. Your blood type matches your dad's not hers. I don't get how no one would think to look at that when it came to the suspicion regarding who your dad was."

Grimacing, she said "Jake Kane has the same blood type as my dad. I found that out when I was looking for Lilly's killer. My mom though is AB-, so my kidney would work."

"No, your mom is AB+. I saw her records. The thing is; Duncan might qualify since he is what they consider a universal donor. It's another reason why Jake is trying to hard to get him home." Mac said.

"Oh, then for my mom's sake, I hope he succeeds." Veronica replied with a grimace. "So, what are we going to do to help this little girl?"

"Well we know now that this girl's mother was a woman named Sabrina. That she got pregnant ten years ago, that she left her hometown and moved away but where and why?"

Mac went to work and within a few hours they had the information, "So this Sabrina quit school and went off to become an actress. How is she connected to Neptune?"

"I hate to say it but what about Aaron?" Veronica asked.

Mac did some more computer work then said "No, she has no connection to Aaron or any of his films. She only had one job when in Los Angeles and I don't see any connection to him."

"Well let's get into Ainsley's medical records and run them against…" Veronica trailed off as she realized they needed to have at least some clue and the entire male population of Neptune was too large. "We need to narrow it down."

"I think I need to look into the computer." Mac said as she began working on the laptop. A few minutes in, she said "This was the Grandmother's computer, not Ainsley's aunt."

They got nowhere as they looked at all of the files even some of the deleted files but they found nothing that connected to Neptune. It was almost seven thirty when there was the sound of footsteps and both girls looked up to see Wallace and his mother Alicia entering.

"Hi." Wallace set up the food and then said "My mom heard about what you are doing from your dad. She knew you two wouldn't break and I called Logan to tell him we would feed you."

"Really? The local takeout joints don't thank you. Veronica is the reason that most of them are showing a profit." Mac asked winking at Veronica who glared at both of them.

"Have you had any luck?" Wallace asked as Alicia spread out the food on the desk. Mac saw that they had a salad and tofu burgers, when she raised an eyebrow at Wallace, surprised by that, he pointed at his mom and rolled his eyes.

"Not really. We have Ainsley's mom's name but not how she is connected to Neptune. She was connected to the film industry but we can't find any connection to Aaron." Veronica said as she looked at the files.

"Aaron wasn't the only actor in town." Mac replied. "I mean, think on the timing, Veronica. Ten years ago, Aaron didn't live in Neptune."

"So we have to find out if an actor did live in Neptune." Veronica said thoughtfully as she sat down at the desk and began to eat.

"No, you two are going about this the wrong way." Alicia said feeling that they had tunnel vision and were stuck on the idea of an actor being involved.

Both girls look at Wallace's mother. "What do you mean?"

"Her brother is the connection to Neptune. There is no guarantee that he lived in Neptune then. Only that he does now. Nor that this Sabrina was involved with an actor just because she was trying to be an actress."

"We do know that he has to be at least old enough to have custody of the sister." Mac replied. Opening a program, she said "This is the photo I found of Sabrina. She has blue eyes so that means Ainsley's eyes must match her father's."

It was almost midnight when they stopped working and Mac went back to her dorm room. She was bone tired and tomorrow they had another meeting with the sociology group.

Dragging her body through her classes, she tried to stay awake and had just sat down in the student union when Veronica joined her. "I am exhausted."

"What is up with the two of you?" Dick said sitting down near Mac and waving Chip down in the empty chair. "You spend the night studying?"

"Nope, we are trying to locate a little girl's family." Veronica said as she yawned. When the coffee cup was sat down in front of her, she looked up and weakly thanked Wallace who then put one down near Mac.

"Any luck?" Logan asked as he saw his girlfriend for the first time that day. He had heard about finding this little girl's family.

"None, we have barely made any progress." Veronica said as she rested her head on Logan's shoulder.

Mac wanted to do nothing more than sleep so when someone sat down next to her and reached for her coffee; she slapped the hand and turned to glare at the idiot. "What are you doing?"

"I saw love was in the air and thought I would offer myself up as a potential date for you." Max said with a smirk as he looked at the computer major he had been staking out since the beginning of the year as his arm went around her shoulder.

He had done his research and knew that Wallace Fennell was no threat to his interest in Cindy Mackenzie, plus he knew that Chip Diller only dated sorority girls as for the blond, he knew that there was no way that idiot was her type. He was only hanging around because his friend was dating her friend.

"Look, I am sure that someplace on this earth there is the perfect girl for you, Max but I am not that girl." Mac said stiffening as she moved further away from Max and closer to Dick. With a tired smile, she asked Dick. "When are the mattresses arriving?"

"Friday, so I was hoping we could spend the weekend getting the house ready." Dick said then looking at Max who was now glaring at him.

As the group drifted towards the room where they were meeting that day, Wallace who was heading to his own group greeted Piz who grunted hello and moved to the seat farthest away from the Neptune group.

"Hey guys." Beth smiled as she and Lucas joined them. Katrina entered soon followed by Parker who tried to stay calm but their mediator arrived and said "I see that all of you turned in your questionnaires. Now the next part of the plan is for each of you to pull out a choice of three assignments and do what is on the paper of at least two of them. We will be paying for each of these items or will arrange for you to do what it says in a way that is approved."

Mac watched as the guys went first, Lucas, Max and Piz drew out their three assignments then Logan got his. "What do you have to do?"

"No telling what your assignments are, you are going to be paired up and it is important that no one know what you got until afterwards."

Dick pulled out the last three, and then the girls began. Parker made a point of going first, followed by Katrina, Mac, Veronica and finally Beth who was still cheerful in spite of her smile faltering when she read what was on her list.

"Now, we are going to pair you up by cards." All five girls then all five guys got cards and none of them matched. "What is this?"

"You pair up with the person whose card along with yours, adds up to eleven." Beth wasn't too happy her eight meant she was to be paired with the three card of Piz. Katrina and Lucas were paired and then it was Veronica's turn.

Veronica had the six that went with Dick's five and it was clear he had been hoping for another pairing. Max took pleasure in his annoyance while Parker was thrilled because it meant she had a fifty/fifty chance of being paired with Logan.

Max showed his card, the seven which had Parker glaring at him as she showed her matching four. This left only Logan and Mac who showed the rest, their cards; a two and a nine.

"There will be no switching of pairs. Now, you may reveal your assignments to your partner."

Veronica quickly looked at her list and didn't know who was more appalled, Dick or herself. "A ballet class? A spa day and a cooking class."

Dick opened his and said "A shooting lesson. A go cart race day and a trip to the strip club."

"Please tell me that I don't have to watch women strip." Veronica moaned.

"That is up to you two." The mediator replied.

"We got a knitting lesson, ballroom dancing and photography studio set." Mac said not sounding any more excited.

"Golf day, we also got a shooting lesson and wrestling match." Logan replied as he looked at Mac. "So which do you want to do first?"

"It is going to have to wait; Veronica and I have to locate Ainsley's family." Mac reminded him, finding Ainsley's family would keep them busy in their spare time until she was united with her brother.

Logan frowned as something tickled the back of his memory but that faded away as he heard Max and Parker arguing with their mediator as they read their assignments.

Parker saw Logan and Veronica walk away and went to try and fix things with Mac. "I am sorry for how I have been acting. I just feel like I am losing you to her. You never spend time with me anymore."

Mac frowned then said "You never had me. Parker, you were my roommate, Veronica is my friend. I thought we were becoming friends but that changed when you came back from Colorado."

Parker began to speak but Dick walked up and said "Veronica is on the phone with her dad, he wants both of you in his office now."

When they had left, Max paid attention, noting how the blond seemed to be a possible ally in his plans to get with Mac.

At the station, Mac and Veronica entered Keith's office and were told that he had found out something. "I had DNA tests ran using Ainsley's toothbrush, she isn't a match to any member of the Thompson family."

"Then who is she?" Veronica asked thinking a possible kidnapping or maybe even a baby switch like what happened to Mac.

"I don't know but I did find out that Sabrina Thompson gave birth at UCLA Medical center but her baby was stillborn." Keith told them the rest. "I spoke to the DA and he found a loophole to get a hold of Sabrina's medical records as well as Ainsley's. I spoke to Ainsley and she says her birthday is May 1, which matches when Sabrina gave birth to her daughter."

Veronica left the station and promised to meet up with Mac at the penthouse went to the hospital to visit with her mother. After getting past the security that Kane Enterprises had there, she entered the hospital room and saw her mother looking pale.

"Veronica, I am so glad you came to see me." She said reaching out to hug her. Veronica let that happen as she waited for Leanne to settle down.

After several manic moments, she began to realize that whatever drugs her mother was on; she was half out of it. "I have to go; I have a sociology assignment to work on."

"Okay, please stop in and see me later." Leanne said as she told Veronica she loved her. Veronica felt awkward as she told her mother that she loved her back then quickly left the hospital room and into a melee in the hallway.

"I know what you are up to, Jake and I won't let it happen. If her own child won't work, I am sorry for your tramp but you won't be talking our son into endangering his future to save her."

Veronica said excuse me and went to slip past the arguing couple.

Jake went silent as she left the hospital then went inside to speak to Dr. Julius. "Who told Veronica she wasn't a match."

"She contacted me earlier today; she told me she knew that she wasn't a match."

Jake stormed out and back to where Celeste was now haranguing Clarence Weidman. "Find out how Veronica knew she wasn't a match."

Celeste didn't like the Mars girl but her spy had overheard Jake and Lianne's plans and couldn't help smirking as she lied to him "I found out and I arrange for her to learn. She knows everything, Jake."

Jake watched her leave and once again found himself regretting ever sleeping with her all those years ago. Walking back inside to where Leanne was half asleep; Jake vowed once again to make sure that this time he would win.

LOVE(A/N If you can't see this, please message me)

Keith sat in his office, reading the file and knowing that there was something missing regarding Aaron Echolls death. Getting no where, he went on to the Dean O'Dell case. Sacks and Leo entered and sat down across from him. "Sir, we have a list of the bars that aren't ID-ing and Weevil is here to see you."

"Send Weevil in and I want some plain clothed younger officers prepared to go with me this evening." Keith said as he closed the file.

"Sir." Weevil felt a sense of irony at the idea of working for the police. "We had an incident today. All the water fountains and the fountains in front of the building had purple bubbles coming out of it."

LOVE

Mac went to her parent's house, speaking to her mom then asked to take Ainsley to the beach. The nine year old was excited at the idea of going out with Mac. As they waited for her to change, Natalie said "I was talking to Moira and she sent over some of Lauren's old clothes for her."

As they drove over, Ainsley was excited about riding around in the Beetle as she told Mac her Grandmother had had a minivan.

"Your mom said you are helping find my brother." Ainsley said as they walked across the sand towards the water line being careful to stay dry since it wasn't really warm enough to swim without a wet suit. "Is that true?"

"Yes, I am. So, since I am taking a break, I thought I would invite you along." Mac said. "Ryan doesn't like the beach very much, so I play computer games with him."

"Cool. Hey, why are those boys waving at you?" Ainsley asked. Mac turned around, expecting to find either Logan or Dick but instead saw Casey Gant with a boy she didn't recognize walking away. "I don't know."

Casey walked over and greeted Mac then her friend. "Hey is this your sister?"

"No." Ainsley replied. "Her parents are babysitting me. I am Ainsley, who are you?"

"Casey Gant. I went to school with Mac." Casey asked if she was going to go swimming only for Mac to say that they were only walking along the beach.

The college freshman waited for the two girls to return from their walk to the pier, he had been thinking that now that they were out of high school he should consider his future and he wanted to start dating different girls than those he did in high school. "Hey Gant, what are you staring at, dude."

Turning to greet Dick, he said "Maturity."

"Okay." Dick didn't know what to say that but thinking it was a comment on Dick's own immaturity. "Have you seen Logan, he was meeting me here."

"Hey Dick." Casey watched as the girl that Dick had nicknamed Ghostworld greeted him as she walked up. Her eyes went briefly to Dick before returning to the water where the young girl she had brought was now tossing a stick to a dog. "We weren't working on your place today, were we?"

"No, I was meeting Logan. What are you doing at the beach? I thought you were working on locating that little girl's family?" He asked. When he noticed that Casey was also looking he scowled at his former classmate. "So, are you up for getting something to eat?"

"Mac!" Both boys turned to greet the young girl who was coming towards them. When she stopped and looked at Dick, Mac was amused as she stood on her tip toes reached up and poked her finger into his dimple. "Wow, you're pretty, very pretty."

Mac burst into laughter at the shocked expression on Dick's face as Ainsley stared at him. Casey had seen the jealous expression on Dick's face earlier and had been adjusting to the fact that Casablancas liked his dead brother's girl when the young girls words sank in.

"Uh, thank you?" It sounded more like a question than a response to her words as Dick watched the little girl now standing inches away. Taking a step back, he said "You must be Ainsley."

"I must be." She said with a growing smile on her face. "Are you married?"

"Not yet." Dick replied absentmindedly then with more haste than manners added "You are too young."

"I didn't propose to you." Ainsley said as she turned to look at the boy now heading their way with a short blond. Greeting Logan and Veronica, Mac leaned over and whispered into Veronica's ear what Ainsley had said. Veronica greeted Casey then told Ainsley "My dad said to tell you hi."

Casey felt a little left out as he saw that little girl was more interested in Dick and Logan than him then shaking his head asked Mac if she had a moment.

When she turned him down when he asked her out, Casey smiled a bit wryly as he realized that Dick's interest was returned and said "It's fine, you just are more what I am looking for then the one."

Mac laughed then said "In high school you didn't even know I existed, Casey."

"I knew I just also knew that I was one of the sheep." Casey said with a feeling of regret. When she walked back to her group, he left and went towards the parking lot.

"What did Casey want?" Logan asked and when he saw the expression on Veronica's face. Getting what he had missed, he hastily said "Never mind."

"Its fine, he asked me out." Mac replied never seeing Dick flinch as she made sure that Ainsley was okay with going with them to get something to eat, Mac having to convince Ainsley she couldn't ride with Dick who had driven his Audi R8 to the beach. "He will be at the restaurant, I promise."

As they went into the small Italian restaurant, Mac and Ainsley talked about her life before she moved to Neptune. When the young girl ordered spaghetti, then tried Veronica's lasagna, Dick's fettuccini alfredo and Logan's chicken marsala, but refused to try the vegan lasagna that Mac was eating.

Mac had dropped Ainsley off with her parents; she rejoined Veronica and the guys at the penthouse. They were quiet for a few minutes then Mac said "So she was well loved, treated great, but they weren't her biological family, so who was."

"You know, no one said that her brother wasn't a Thompson." Dick stated. Logan had been feeling a sense of de ja vous with Ainsley but he didn't get it so he stayed quiet, not sure but feeling like he might know the answer to who she was.

"There have been no male Thompson's born in this generation." Veronica replied.

Dick sat at the computer with Mac, watching as she went over everything this elderly woman had looked at on the Internet as well as everything saved. "There has to be something, something small I missed. All there is on here is stuff that you would expect on an old woman's browser."

"Take a break, Mac." Veronica said. "It helps sometimes."

"Sounds like a good idea. Dick and I can finish ordering what he needs for his house." Mac replied as she switched over to her computer and moved the open laptop to the counter.

Veronica was working on her criminal science paper and Logan had just finished one of his assignments when he saw the laptop blink as it went into sleep mode.

Settling onto one of the bar stools, Logan idly opened the Internet browser and double clicked each link and looked at it briefly then shut it down as he saw recipes, knitting clubs, first aid sights and even a few fan sites.

"What are you looking at?" Dick asked when he saw the elderly woman now on the screen.

"A murder she wrote fan site." Logan said then closed the link down and opened the next. "I would have never guessed… they have a website for that old game show my Mom was on."

Mac turned and asked "Why was your Mom on a game show?"

"It was a charity thing. Match Game, it had a lot of starting out and old celebrities on it." Logan said as he went onto the next site. Finding a site for crossword puzzles, he saw that she had been working a more difficult puzzle when she died. A few more fan sites then one that had a broken link.

"Mac, did you check out this broken link?" He asked.

Turning her head from where she was arguing trash can types with Dick, she said "Yes, it's for an old canceled soap opera. The Thrill of it All or something like that. It was canceled in the eighties."

"I know it, my Mom was on it. It was her first acting job." Logan said as he closed the broken link and then went onto the next one. As he went through the next few sites, then found another one that had a distance connection his mother and then yet another show that his mother had once guest-starred on.

Logan suddenly pushed back from the counter and looked at Veronica. "How old is this little girl, I mean when was she born?"

"Her birthday is in May, she turns ten." Veronica replied and looking at Logan who was now pale as a ghost said "What is it?"

"When I was a kid, just before the end of second grade, my mom left Aaron. The press never knew, it was reported that she was visiting my maternal grandmother who was ill but she had left him. We stayed away until May but we weren't with her mother, we were staying at the house she owned in San Francisco. I just remember that as one of the best times I ever spent with her."

"Logan, wouldn't you know if your mother was pregnant?" Dick asked getting where he was going with this.

"I was seven, Dick. I didn't know the concept of being pregnant." Logan said then asked Veronica to contact her dad and have DNA tests ran against his.

"Logan, don't you think this is a stretch?" Mac asked doubtfully. "I mean the only connection between your family and this woman is that she was possibly a fan of shows your mom was on. I mean, if you were to base something like that on my browser, I am involved with that actor Connor Larkin and in truth I was looking at the sites for an assignment."

"Plus this doesn't explain Sabrina Thompson being thought her mom." Veronica replied. "You do fit the qualifications of being male and within the age range."

Veronica called her dad and asked him to run the tests and while Keith felt a sense of doubt like Veronica, he still ordered the tests ran, what could it hurt?

Dick and Mac finished and Dick shouted yes when they had checked off the last item. "I can't wait, I can move out and into my own place."

"Yes because you are living in a slum." Mac said waving her hand around the penthouse suite. "So next weekend, no one make any plans and Dick get some of your frat brothers to help. Offer beer and pizza."

"Yes sir." Dick said saluting the dark haired girl. "Anything else, general?"

"Yes, Logan when do you want to begin our project?" Mac asked. "And which one do you want to eliminate?"

"The knitting, the ballroom dancing and the photography glamour shots." Logan said as he shuddered theatrically.

"Look it could be worse, it could be ballet lessons." Dick moaned. "I am hoping Veronica doesn't mind the spa day and the cooking class because I will not put on a tutu and prance around, there is no way in hell I will ever agree to that."

Mac's lips were twitching as she had a mental image of Dick in a pink tutu. She saw Veronica was thinking the same thing as she looked at Dick with cheerful glee dancing in her eyes.

"Dick I will make you a deal, if you agree to not go to the strip club I will eliminate the ballet lessons." Veronica said.

"I was not planning on going on that assignment anyhow." Dick offered as they went over their list. "So what are you not doing, Logan?"

"The golf game; Mac made it pretty clear if it wasn't miniature golf she wasn't going." Logan said then sat down to go back to contemplating what he had been thinking about. "What if she is my sister?"

The other three were quiet, well aware that that was a long shot but that for some reason the idea was something that Logan seemed to believe. Veronica had learned long ago not to discard feelings like that, so she thought about it and couldn't help wondering if maybe Logan knew something but didn't remember it.

Mac got Dick out of the penthouse, knowing that Veronica and Logan needed to speak. "Where are we going?"

Mac laughed and said "I don't have a destination in mind; I just wanted to give Veronica time to speak to Logan and find out why he thinks Ainsley is related to him."

Logan closed the laptop and then moved back to where his books were spread out and closed them and returned them to his bag. Seeing Veronica's eyes on him, he said "It's her name. My maternal grandmother was named Ainsley, Veronica. She died not long after we came home."

"Logan, you do realize this is a long shot." She said quietly curious as to why Logan was so sure that he was this girls missing brother, or if it was because he wanted a family connection that wasn't horrible. She knew that deep down, Logan wanted to be loved.

"Its not, I know that you think I am losing it, but Veronica, looking back, I think my mom was pregnant and when we came home, things between Aaron and us became even worse. My mom started drinking then. I think she drank because she had to give up her little girl."

Veronica closed her books and reached out to hold Logan's hand "What if she is your sister?"

Logan's eyes went to Veronica's as he sank onto the sofa. "I hadn't thought about it. I mean, what if she is my sister?"

"Are you going to take custody of her?" She asked and saw his eyes widen as if he was related to this little girl he would be asked to take care of her.

"I would have to." Logan said quietly as he began to realize just how much his life would change if he was right in his suspicions.

Veronica drew Logan to his bedroom, kissing him as she made plans to distract him. At midnight, she heard Dick entering the suite and pulling on her robe went to speak to the blond.

"Dick?"

When he turned around to look at her she said "Do you have a minute?"

Soon seated on the sofa, she asked "I need your help with something."

"Ronnie, no offense but if this is something you can't tell Logan about, I don't want to be involved." He warned.

Her lips twitched as she saw how serious he was and said "I want the name of your real estate agent, if this turns out to be true, Logan is going to need help and I don't think that they will let him have custody of his sister if he is living here. I want to get a head start and look at some for him."

Dick looked at Veronica and saw she was sincere then admitted. "I wouldn't use the one I did, she thought I didn't know it, but she only showed me the most expensive houses she could find. I found the house I chose on my own."

"Oh." She went quiet then said "Well if I ask her to help, it might go different since she won't think…"

"Trust me, she will Google you." Dick replied. "Look, what do you think Logan needs?"

"At least two bedrooms and well you know him as well as I do." She said awkwardly.

"Thankfully, I don't." He said with a smirk then said "Look, since we might have solved who Ainsley is, I was thinking we should start with the cooking lessons."

"Fine, I will find out where they meet." She replied then said "Dick if you hurt Mac, I will make you so miserable you will wish I tasered your balls."

Standing, Dick looked at Veronica and said "I know that I have acted like an ass in the past but Ronnie…"

Veronica looked at the closed door where her boyfriend was asleep then at Dick. "What did Lilly show you when she was trying to get you to help?"

"She just threatened me, told me that I would regret losing my chance at fixing things. I told her that she manipulated me enough when she was alive, that I wouldn't let her do so now that she was dead. I woke up and threw up, nothing more, why?"

Dick stood and walked to the French doors leading out to the balcony as he tried to distance himself from his past. "I went to speak to Logan's doctor, but it's hard to open up to someone, to not expect them to be judging you."

Veronica stood and to her surprise said "I understand that. I get wrapped up in vengeance, in fixing things and making sure that the bad guy goes to jail, but the problem is that sometimes the bad guy isn't so clear."

Dick turned and leaned against the glass as he looked at Veronica. "You know, junior year, Logan was broken and then at that party his father threw it was like he was becoming the old Logan so I thought that the crisis was over. Then you found out who it was that really killed Lilly and Logan ended up arrested for murder. He was back to being self-destructive but he didn't have anyone to protect like he thought he did when Lilly died. He thought he had to protect Duncan."

Veronica didn't say anything as she listened to Dick's words and his tone as he continued. "The person he had protected knew that Logan loved you, then stabbed him in the back but he couldn't say anything because Logan's dad killed Duncan's sister. It's why I was so angry with you… I had seen Lilly manipulating people and to me, it looked like you were choosing Duncan because he was richer and…"

Veronica sighed then said "I wanted this idea I had of normal, Dick. After my rape…"

Dick's flinching had her asking him to sit down. "Dick, it wasn't only what happened with Beaver. That same night, something happened with Duncan. At the time he believed I was his sister."

"Fuck." Dick pieced together what she was saying. "Wait, when we were treating you like that… I knew he was a coward when he didn't tell us that you hadn't done anything, but he believed you were his sister…? He is a coward."

"And a rapist." Veronica said as she looked at Dick. She saw his eyes widen as she said "I dated him, trying to feel normal again, yet I would never be normal when I was dating the guy who hurt me."

Dick didn't want to say anything, worried he would say something that would hurt Logan's girl. "Did you know that Logan liked you before Lilly?"

"No. Not until Christmas. Logan and I talked about a lot of things, argued some but in the end, we are going to be fine. I am looking forward to Duncan returning, I think Logan needs to see that he isn't my second choice."

"He does, no one wants to be second best or to know that they are being dated because of manipulation." Dick said quietly then looking at the clock said "Logan and I are surfing in the morning; I need to head to bed. Night, Veronica."

With that, Dick went to his room, his mind on a lot more than Logan and Veronica's issues; instead he was trying to figure out where he went with his own life.

LOVE

Mac couldn't sleep and when she saw it was dawn, she went to the student union and got her morning coffee. Seated at a table, knowing that her friends would soon be showing up, she heard her name being called and was surprised to see Chip sitting down across from her. "Did you want something?"

"No, just didn't see anyone else I know. This sobriety stuff sucks; I wake up way too early when I don't drink." Chip said as he took a gulp of the large orange juice then opened his muffin. "Want half?"

"I'm a vegan. Don't do milk or eggs." She answered but hastily added thank you anyway. "You were lucky not to have to do any of the sociology class assignments, they are nuts."

"I only signed up to meet chicks." Chip said then looking around saw his ex girlfriend with her new boyfriend Gorey. "I only seem to end up with girls who cheat on me."

A bit surprised that someone she barely knew was spilling his guts; she looked at him only for him to point out the cheerful couple. "My ex, her new guy is connected to the mob."

"Damn, that sucks." She said and was a bit relieved when Wallace showed up. "Hey, Fennell."

"Morning, I have a class in ten minutes, I hate to ask but would you give these notes to Piz?" He asked as he handed them over to her.

Mac grimaced but agreed.

"So what is your issue with plaid shirt boy?" Chip asked.

"He is listening to vicious rumors from Parker who still blames Veronica for her attack." She said and saw the twosome entering the student union together. When she held up the notes, she saw Piz hesitate before walking over and muttering thanks as he took the notes.

LOVE

Dick wiped out and swam into the shore where Logan had already stopped for the day. "What is going on?"

"Ainsley, what if she is my sister? I don't know anything about being someone's brother. Trina barely qualifies as an acquaintance, let along a relation. Plus I know nothing about kids." Logan said as he sank back onto the sand. "What am I going to do if I am right?"

"Why are you so determined to believe she is your sister?" Dick asked.

"My grandmother was named Ainsley, the timing fits and then there is just this nagging feeling in my stomach. I send my accountants an email asking them to do a fiscal audit for about that time on my mom's accounts. I think that the answers are in there." Logan said as he brushed the sand off and went to his Rover. "I have to get to class. Afterwards I am going to met Mac at her parent's place."

Dick was quiet as he watched Logan drive off. He didn't have a class this morning but he was supposed to sign Veronica and himself up for their choices.

After doing so, he saw Diller sitting in the student union and joined him. "No class?"

"Went to class and came back hoping your girlfriend would still be here."

"Who?" Dick asked then realized Chip meant Mac. "She isn't my girlfriend, yet."

Scoffing, Chip said. "You have been neutered you just haven't realized it yet. Anyhow, Tad said you got a place off campus."

"Yeah, speaking of that, can you find some Psi Sigs who will help me move in this weekend? Beer and pizza will be available but don't pick anyone who is only going to want to come and get drunk. Veronica and Logan as well as Mac will be helping too."

"Sure, I will ask around." Chip offered as he saw Logan Echolls walking their way with a tall blond he didn't recognize. "Who is the blond pissing off Echolls?"

Turning, Dick grimaced and said "Shit, it's my ex girlfriend, Madison. I wonder what she is doing here."

When Logan ducked away from Madison, he quickly joined Dick and his frat brother. "Your ex is furious; I would avoid her for a while."

"I don't care what Madison is upset about. I don't get why she is even here, she should be in San Diego." Dick saw the angry expression on Madison's face as she glared at both Logan and him then walked away.

Madison searched the entire campus looking for Mac; she wanted to make sure that geek girl knew that she was to stay away from her family. She didn't care what her parents said; there was no way that she had been the real Madison, not some little nobody like that.

She was on her way off campus when she saw Lizzie Manning and called out to the blond, who walked over clearly not wanting to but being polite. "Hello, Madison."

"Do you know where Mac is?" Madison demanded.

"No, we don't have any classes together. Have you thought to ask Logan or Dick?" She said with a serene smirk as she looked at Madison.

"Logan said he doesn't know." Madison said as she walked away furious to realize she had wasted an entire morning trying to chase down Mac. Heading back home, she went to find her mother.

"Madison, where have you been?" Moira asked as her daughter joined her in the study.

"Making a decision of my own; Dad said that I have no choice in this decision of yours but I do have one. I don't care what you say, this is my family not hers. I won't let you claim Mac. I am your daughter, not her."

"Madison, you need to accept that Mac is your father and my biological daughter. You aren't being required to meet with the Mackenzies; they are quite fine with that not happening.

Mac walked into the student union and saw Parker sitting by herself. She was about to join the blond and try to help get her head on straight when she heard her name being called.

Greeting Chip, curious as to why the frat boy was talking to her twice in one day, she was soon told. "So, Dick wanted help this weekend. Are we talking furniture, electronics hooked up, or what? I need to know so that I know who to ask."

Again surprised at the very practical question, Mac said "The satellite company should have everything hooked up the dish and the boxes, so help with that would be appreciated since it would free me up to help elsewhere. The furniture was put in the correct rooms but it needs moved the way we want it, but mainly it is all the rest of the stuff. You know, opening boxes and putting things away."

"Okay. See yah then." Chip replied and walked away, seeing Tad back at the frat house, he said "About four or five guys would work. Also, uh, am claiming the pool start."

Tad smirked and said "What do you know?"

"Dick said that they aren't a couple YET, she said putting things away the way we want." Chip said with a smirk. "So, I am taking the bet that they end up together."

"Five dollars is the buy-in and for what?" Tad asked as he went to the betting book.

"Officially together but what should be the criteria?" Chip asked.

"Dick and Mac on a romantic date to public event." Tad wrote down then sent out the text to everyone except Dick about the new betting pool. Going over, he noted how far away Valentines Day was and choose that date.

TBC