AN: Okay, I think I'm a little later with this update than I said I'd be, sorry! It's been really full on for me lately, and I haven't had time to post, let alone write. Fear not, I'm having a few days holiday soon and should get another chapter written! (They're all planned out at least :) ) So thanks for your patience, all your reviews, and I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

"For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul." – Judy Garland

Chapter 19

"Caroline, when your father and I told you that you could date we didn't think you'd try dating everyone in the school," Mac said to her eldest daughter.

"Well, luckily, I'm not," Caroline retorted.

"I think you understand the use of hyperbole, Caroline Piper," Mac admonished.

"And I thought you'd understand that I'm not dating everyone in the school, I've actually only dated a couple of guys," Caroline insisted.

"Four, if you count that guy who took you to Homecoming," James supplied, walking through the kitchen. It was Thursday morning and they were getting ready for school.

"Thanks, James," Caroline said witheringly. "But I am being careful, Mom. The reason I've dated more than one guy is because none of them have been worth continuing to date. You and Dad want me to find someone who is good for me, and that's what I'm trying to do."

"Well, how about you start by being friends with them first, instead of going straight to dating," Mac suggested gently. "You can go now, your lecture is over. I love you, have a good day."

Caroline smiled in relief, kissed her mother's cheek and headed out of the kitchen.

"I wondered how long it would be until they talked to you about your active 'social life'," James taunted Caroline.

"And you were so helpful Jamie," Caroline said, sticking her tongue out elegantly.

"Have a good day, Care," he said carelessly, walking out to the car where Dick was waiting to take Aurora and him to school.

One street over Lily was dressing her little ones for the day.

"Please hold still, Maegan," Lily said desperately, trying to get the little girl to stop squirming while she dressed her.

"What we doin' today, Mommy?" Dylan asked, walking into the room.

"We're going to go and see Granddad," Lily answered. "He's back from his trip and I think he'd like to see you."

"I can show him how much I've grown!" Dylan crowed. "And all the words I can spell."

"That sounds very good," Lily agreed. "Then this afternoon I thought we might bake Grandpa Mars and Grandma Alicia some cupcakes."

"Why?" Dylan asked.

"To thank them for minding Meggie on Tuesdays," Lily replied.

"We makin' somethin' for Uncle Logan too?" Dylan asked, his bright mind concluding that everyone who minded Maegan should get food.

"Not today, but it's a nice idea," Lily agreed. "Come on, Maegan's dressed. We're ready to go."

Lily packed her little ones into the car, and as she looked at their dear little faces her heart constricted as she imagined what it would feel like if someone was threatening to kill them. She had no idea how Veronica and Logan were coping, and she sent up a silent prayer asking for their troubles to be over soon.

Lily climbed into the driver's seat and she and the children headed straight to the Kane Mansion where they spent an enjoyable morning with Jake Kane, who had softened considerably with age. His smiles were more frequent and his demands and expectation were not as severe.

That afternoon Wallace was surprised to his son arrive in his office.

"Hey Dad," Justin began. "I hope it's okay that I dropped by without calling first."

"It's fine. Is everything alright?" Wallace asked, concerned by the uncharacteristic appearance of his son. It wasn't that they weren't close, they were, it was just abnormal for Justin to 'drop by' at all.

"Yeah, it's fine. I just felt like saying hello," Justin said lamely.

"Well, pull up a chair and we'll find a snack to eat," Wallace instructed. "Did you drive here? Where your brother and sisters?"

"They caught the bus home, Mom's there," Justin answered.

Wallace tossed Justin a bag of chips and said, "Don't tell your mom, but I have a stash of junk food in the office."

Justin grinned conspiratorially and started munching on his chips.

"Dad, you went to school with Aunt Veronica, right?" Justin said slowly.

"Yeah, just for junior and senior year, when we moved to Neptune," Wallace answered.

"You guys were best friends that whole time, right?" Justin prodded.

"Well yeah, I mean, we had our fights, but she was always my friend," Wallace replied, mystified. "Did you and Aubrey have a fight?"

"No, no," Justin said quickly. "Aunt Veronica dated a number of guys while you were her best friend, didn't she?"

"Sure, a few, I guess," Wallace agreed, still unsure of where his son was taking the conversation.

"Where you ever…jealous?" Justin asked eventually.

"What?" Wallace asked, his jaw a little slack.

"I mean, did you ever like Aunt Veronica, like like I mean," Justin managed to choke out.

"Me? Have a crush on V?" Wallace queried, shocked at the notion. "I never even thought of her that way, you know. At first she was just the girl who cut me down from the flagpole, then she was my friend, then I realised that Veronica Mars was something of a legend. I guess she was always sort of off limits in my mind, she was like this human action figure, and my best friend, there was no attraction, even if a lot of other guys liked to chase her."

"Okay Dad, got it. It wasn't like that for you two," Justin said quickly.

"Why all the questions?" Wallace asked, and as he did it all clicked. Years of helping Veronica on cases had left their mark. "Oh no, no, no, no, you do not want to have a crush on Aubrey Echolls. I mean, she's wonderful of course, but she's Veronica Mars and Logan Echolls' daughter. That means she'll bring you nothing but trouble. Veronica was like a magnet for trouble and Logan, you do not want to see him when he's mad, which he will inevitably be if you date his daughter."

"No to mention she's taken," Justin said glumly. "I get it Dad, it's a bad situation to be in, that's why I wanted to ask you if you'd ever had a thing for Aunt Veronica, and if you did, how you got rid of it."

"Well, you know I didn't, but I can tell you that you just can't get rid of a crush, especially on someone like Aubrey," Wallace replied. "Your mother probably wouldn't exactly approve of the method I'm about to suggest, but she's not here, and she's not a guy. Sometimes it's just easier to try and like someone else. Find a pretty, nice girl, someone genuine, someone you could like if you weren't into Aubrey, then focus your attention on them, and you might end up liking them instead. It's not foolproof, but a distraction is better than pining. It's bad enough that girls pine, us guys can't do it."

"You think I should try to date someone else?" Justin repeated. "Well, it's not like there are a lack of girls to date. Aubrey and Caroline are always trying to set me up with someone."

Wallace winced, it had to be tough having the girl you liked obliviously trying to set you up with other people.

"Aubrey has no idea, does she?" Wallace asked gently.

"Not a clue, I might as well be her brother," Justin replied flatly. "I have to watch her go through this crap, and have Dan be the one comforting her, while I just have to be friendly and supportive."

"I know you might want more, but I'm sure she appreciates you being a supportive friend, she needs her friends at a time like this. And it might hurt now, her not knowing how you feel, but will probably be better in the long run, it removes an awkward factor, the whole 'our friendship is strained now' phase," Wallace pointed out. "Son, I'm glad you came to talk to me about it. I'm always here for you, whether it's for girl advice or basketball advice, or even surfing, but you'd be better off asking Uncle Logan first about surfing."

"Thanks Dad, and thanks for the chips," Justin said, managing a grin. "And I know you wouldn't, but I just wanted to make sure that you won't talk to Aunt Veronica about this. It would be weird."

"For both of us," Wallace said fervently. "See you at home."

So Justin headed home, trying valiantly not to think about Aubrey, but in trying not to think about her he just ended up thinking about her anyway. Conundrum.

Meanwhile Aubrey was at home, preparing to go for a walk on the beach.

"Curtis, can't you just let me go by myself? It's been more than a week since anything happened," Aubrey pleaded to the security man.

"I can't Miss Echolls, it's against procedure, and your father would kill me," Curtis replied firmly.

Aubrey sighed heavily then said, "But I'm meeting my boyfriend, so I won't be alone."

"I know, especially because three's a crowd," Curtis supplied, smiling to himself over his joke.

Aubrey sighed again, though this time it sounded more like a screech and her eyes filled with tears. Curtis realised that she was serious, and seriously beginning to crack under the strain of her situation.

"Okay, Miss Echolls, I'll make you a deal. I'm still coming, but I won't be as close as normal. I'll give you some space, but you have to have a panic button with you," Curtis negotiated.

"Thank you," Aubrey said quietly. "I'm planning to go in ten minutes, you'll be ready?"

"Of course," Curtis said automatically.

Aubrey left him and headed upstairs to collect her cell phone and a light jacket.

She flopped onto her bed and dialled Caroline's number.

"Aub, what's up?" Caroline said breezily when she answered.

"I'm going to go crazy, I'm never going to get a proper moment alone with Dan, ever again," Aubrey whined, launching straight into her misery. "I get that I'm in danger, but I've only been dating Dan for just over a month, and it's all new and exciting and what if he gets tired of all danger with no physical action?"

"He won't, he's totally into you, you two are so cute I'm practically crying with jealous most days," Caroline replied, soothing Aubrey. "And if it's alone time you want, how about school? You're not shadowed every minute there. Cut class, find a broom closet or something."

"I'm pretty sure they only make out in broom closets in Harry Potter," Aubrey said with a grin. "And what about all that new security Dad had installed? What if I'm seen sneaking off?"

"That will only happen if something happens and they need to look through the security footage. I actually read the letter the school sent home telling us about the new security, of course Mom and Dad already new, but anyway, the note said that the school staff weren't in control of the CCTV, the security company was in charge of monitoring it, and viewing it if necessary," Caroline explained importantly.

Aubrey laughed and said, "Thanks, Care. I guess sneaking off to a broom closet might be okay then. Anyway, I'm going to meet Dan on the beach now. Remember to do your math homework as well as your flirting."

"I promise," Caroline said, rolling her eyes good naturedly. "Have fun!"

As Aubrey headed out to meet Dan Veronica was sitting in her office, looking through files as she talked to her father on the phone.

"No Dad, it's fine really. Well, you know what I mean. It's not fine, but I don't want you involving yourself in the case, it would just make me more worried," Veronica told Keith.

"But we're talking about my grandchildren, and I can't just do nothing, Veronica," Keith protested.

"You don't have to do nothing, Dad. I just don't want you helping me with the case, it could put you in danger, I have no idea who I'm dealing with yet, and there's a high chance they're dangerous and it's obvious they hate me," Veronica countered. "I've called in a few favours and I have people helping me, really good people. The best thing you can do if you want to help is to spend time with the kids. You're great with them and they love you."

"You're sure you've got enough people helping you?" Keith asked.

"Yes, I have extra protection on Aubrey and I have someone helping me comb through all my old cases, I'm actually just in the middle of that now," Veronica explained.

"Okay, I'll go then, and let you keep doing it, but I think Alicia and I will come for dinner tonight, how does that sound?" Keith asked.

"That sounds wonderful, Dad," Veronica agreed.

"Okay, we'll see you when you get home then," Keith told her. "I hope you find a lead, and soon."

"Thanks, Dad. Bye, love you," Veronica said.

"I love you too, kiddo," Keith said affectionately.

Veronica hung up the phone and returned to looking closely at the case work in front of her. She'd made two piles, those who were still in gaol, and those who were out. She was focusing on those who were out, though she couldn't entirely discount those who were still in as they might have an accomplice on the outside.

Veronica pulled out her untraceable cell and called the agent who was helping her go through her old cases.

"Agent Owens, have you found anything yet?" Veronica asked crisply.

"I've narrowed the list down quite a lot, Detective Echolls. I've checked up on all of those suspects who are on parole, and 85% of them have had no chance to be down here and place that note and doll in your daughter's locker," Owens divulged. "So from here I'm going to try and locate the other 15% of suspects. If I give a list could you please rank them in order of the threat you believe they would pose you. So how dangerous they were when you were on their case, and how much they appeared to hate you when you caught them."

"Of course, thank you," Veronica agreed. "Is there anything else you want me to do?"

"Just be vigilant, keep up your security measures, keep an eye out for suspicious thing, and familiarise yourself with the details of each suspect from the list I'm about to send through to you," Owens replied.

"Of course. I'll have it ranked by the end of tonight and send it to you," Veronica promised. "I'll be in touch."

The call ended and Veronica waited anxiously for the list to come through.

It arrived forty-five seconds later and Veronica opened the file to find a list of 6 names.

Miller, Barry

Saunders, Stuart

Mueller, Klaus

Gibson, Craig

De La Hoya, Sophia

Thompson, Richard

Veronica sighed with relief, and with fatigue. She was glad the list was only small, it meant that they were hopefully closer to pinning down who was threatening her family. She didn't look forward to having to refamiliarise herself with the old cases though.

Still, found the six relevant files, sifted through them, quickly ranked the names and sent the list back to Agent Owens.

None of the names seemed to jump out at her, and she had this niggling feeling like she was missing something.

Knowing that there was nothing else she could do for the day, Veronica packed her things up and headed out to her car to go home.

As she settled into her car her phone rang.

"Hello, Veronica Echolls speaking," she said quickly.

"Mrs Echolls, this is Max Rogers, the head of American Shield Private Security," Max said. "It's procedure that I call you if there is an incident. I'm informed by my security guards as soon as they can after it happens, then it's my responsibility to get in touch with you or Mr Echolls, if neither of you is there."

"Yes, I understand all that, get to the point," Veronica said brusquely.

"Well, while your daughter was out there was another attack on her," Max disclosed. "She's safely back at your house now and the sheriff from your department is on his way there too."

"Is Aubrey alright?" Veronica asked anxiously, doubting a second attack would leave her daughter unscathed.

"Yes, the guard on her detail got her back safely and the rest of the men on your security detail are at your house, making sure the property it secure," Max answered.

"Okay, I'm heading there right now. Thank you for you call," Veronica said, and hung up immediately, not waiting for a response.

Veronica drove home at a great speed, heart racing, wondering how there could have been another threat on Aubrey, and so soon.

Veronica paused her car at the gate at the front of their property, entered the code, and waited impatiently for it to open.

When it did she stepped on the accelerator and raced through the gates.

She pulled her car to an abrupt stop, got out, and raced up the steps and to the front door.

She tried to open it, but found it locked.

She got out her key and quickly inserted it, turned it, and stepped inside.

She could hear talking from the living room and rushed in there.

"Where's Aubrey?" she asked wildly.

"Upstairs," Logan said wearily.

"We finished hearing her statement and thought it best she went to lie down," Sheriff Webster supplied.

"Dan and Violet are looking after her," Logan added.

"What happened this time?" Veronica demanded, sitting down next to Logan.

Logan looked from the sheriff to the security guards, trying to determine who should tell Veronica.

"Aubrey was out walking on the beach with her boyfriend," the sheriff began, deciding to take control. "Curtis, who I understand is her particular bodyguard, was following at a safe distance. Things had been going fine, and Aubrey and her boyfriend were sitting on the sand when something was thrown towards them and landed right next to Aubrey. She and her boyfriend realised it was a bomb, and it hadn't detonated, and they both got up and ran in the direction of Curtis."

"Oh my God," Veronica said shakily. "What was the damage?"

"Nothing, upon inspection it was discovered that the bomb was a fake. One of the security guards on your detail, Patrick, is apparently an expert in explosives and was the one called in to examine the bomb when it appeared it wasn't going to explode," the sheriff explained. "They opened the bomb, which was hollow, expect for a note inside. It read, 'You won't know where and you won't know when.'"

"Oh dear God," Veronica said tiredly. "Wait, Logan, where are the boys?"

"They're in the TV room with your dad and Alicia, they're okay," Logan said comfortingly.

"Okay. Sheriff, Curtis, is there anything else you need to go through with me before I make some calls?" Veronica asked, anxious to call the FBI agent, who was on Aubrey, to see if they'd noticed anything.

"Just a few things," the sheriff replied. "As you would probably be aware, there is no footage available to us of the area surrounding the attack. The attacker appears to be very skilled, they know where they can target your daughter without being caught on camera, and they seem to know where she's going to be. The note, and the fake bomb, have been put into our care and will be added to what we have on your case. We can only recommend that you keep up the high security measures you have in place, and possibly even extend them further."

"Mr Rogers will be here shortly to discuss options with you, Mr Echolls," Curtis added.

"Thank you all," Veronica said. "Logan will see you out when you're ready, Sheriff. I have some calls to make."

Veronica went and locked herself in Logan's study and called Agent Fitzwalter, the agent who was in charge of following Aubrey.

"I've been expecting your call," Fitzwalter said.

"I'm sure," Veronica said seriously. "What can you tell me?"

When Veronica got off the phone her heart was heavy. She had no idea how someone would be able to be attacking her family so stealthily. They had so many security measures in place and all they had to show for it was part of a number plate from a photo Agent Fitzwalter had taken at the scene.

Fitzwalter had been watching Aubrey from a distance, and when he realised that something had happened he quickly photographed a car fleeing the scene, which he believed to have the attacker in it. Fitzwalter was sending the photos straight to the L.A. headquarters for them to try and get a match on the partial shot of the plates.

Veronica leaned back in Logan's office chair and closed her eyes. The only plus side to having more things happen was that they would hopefully have more leads, and soon. All she had to do was finalise The Keating Case, find the bastard who was after her family, and things would be back to normal.

Veronica stared at the white wall of the office and said, "For the first time ever, I think, I wish Dick was here. I could really use a drink, and a drinking buddy."

AN: The next chapter will be up as soon as I get it written! And PLEASE review :)