Keith sat in a cheap motel. The TV was on a rerun of one of the many "Law and Orders." He was in Texas some small town he didn't care to remember the name of, chasing a bail jumper. Bail jumpers were the one constant in his life right now. Keith had thought that starting a PI firm meant he would have more time for Veronica and to repair his marriage. Things were not working out as planned.

He hadn't seen his daughter in two days and his wife left him. Things were in fact going opposite to how he had planned. He hoped Veronica was being smart, she'd said she was spending the night at Lilly's. This didn't really comfort him.

Lianne was somewhere. He hadn't been able to bring himself to look for her. Every time he did he ended up staring at the computer screen for hours. Unable to start. he couldn't even force himself to do it for Veronica.

Keith laid back on his queen size bed and stared at the ceiling. Thinking he was a failure and listening to Stabler and Olivia solve another case was how he fell asleep.

XXXXX

Sun streaked across the room. Logan was squinting his eyes against the offending light. Through his mind he was wondering what had happened the night before. He remembered the party and making out with Darcy. If that was the case then why did his face hurt and his ribs? The fight came back to him in snatches and then the rest of the night. Barely resisting the urge to groan out loud he rolled over.

He collided with the small form of Veronica. If he hadn't been so hung he would have sat up in bed and surveyed his surroundings. How many clothes were the two of them wearing? Where there bottles strewn around the room? Those sort of questions would be running through his mind. At the moment he didn't care he just wanted to sleep.

Veronica didn't stir at Logan's movement. She had been up late the last few nights in a row. Homework and stake outs. She hadn't let on to her dad how tired she was getting and she was sure her body would get used to it. Some part was that there was an adrenaline rush after she got the pictures she'd come for and then being unable to sleep when she finally got home. The fact that no one was talking to her or licking her face first thing in the morning meant she wasn't getting up until her body woke itself up.

The sun did wake one person in the room. Duncan had ended up on the floor. His eyes opened and quickly closed. He was on the floor with one pillow and no blankets. Logan had lent him some flannel pajama pants to wear since his clothes were soaked from the water escapades. Duncan wasn't ready to get up but he couldn't go back to sleep on the floor with the sun in his eyes.

Stretching as he got up he went over to the blinds and did the rest of the occupants a favor and shut the blinds. Logan had insisted on the best for his room. Since the windows faced east he had made sure that his blinds were capable of creating blackout conditions in his room. Duncan shook his head at the three people still sleeping.

Duncan wasn't sure how Logan had done it but he managed to sleep with both Lilly and Veronica. jealousy welled up in Duncan when he noticed that Logan was sprawled on his stomach and arm thrown over Veronica's waist and her face nestled in his neck. Duncan had to remind himself that there were reasons why he had broken up with Veronica and that he was moving on. He knew he didn't want his best friend to move in but there wasn't anything to do about it at the moment.

Lilly was on Logan's other side she had a leg thrown over Logan's but was on her side facing away from him and Veronica.

Duncan left the room and went to find a guest room where he could pass out in.

XXXXX

Madison woke up in the Echolls' pool house naked. She was string at the ceiling wondering what it was she had committed to last night. It happened, but rarely, that she made decision in the moment. Madison spent most of her life over thinking things. last night had not been one of those nights. If it had been she wouldn't be waking up next to Dick Casablancas.

She pulled the sheet up to her neck. Thinking about what to make of this development. It wasn't Madison's first time, there's been that summer she'd gone on the archeology dig with her parents. She'd had to find something to pass the time that didn't involve getting dusty.

The problem was that while Dick waited she had all the power. Guys to have her all the time. Dick had become her boyfriend because he was funny, rich and more than willing to be controlled by her. She didn't misunderstand her mystique though. Now that they'd slept together he would stop trying so hard. Madison would have to sleep with him more often. This wasn't because she thought he would leave if she didn't put out anymore, she'd known she would have to anyway she just thought she could put him off a little longer. No, it was because Madison would want to have sex now. Dick wasn't half bad at it. Not great but not awful.

XXXXX

Lilly was the next person to wake up. She recognized Logan's room and wondered briefly if they had hooked up. She was answered when she review the fact that she was dressed in some of Logan's boxers and a t-shirt of his. If they had hooked up she would be naked. She rolled over and nestled her face into his pillows, not bothering to look at Logan or Veronica.

Things like that just weren't important to Lilly. If she had looked at them her suspicions would have been confirmed about their feelings. Since Logan had shifted the two of them had drifted into each others arms. Lilly would have made sure that she didn't fall into a deep sleep so that she could be awake and listen to their reactions.

The stress of getting the tapes had taken its toll on Lilly and she was finally sleeping well. It helped also that she had consumed enough liquor last night that she knew if she got up now the hangover wouldn't be worth skipping out on any sleep that she could get.

The three of them finally work up about an hour later. Veronica started to move she wasn't hung over. After her last party experience she wasn't about to drink anything that wasn't sealed or she had full control of all night. She had left a trail of full drinks around the house. Finally settling on a can of diet coke that she never let out of her hand until it was empty.

Logan was heavy and after sleeping for ten hours she was side awake. Veronica had the advantage of waking up exactly where she remember falling asleep. The four of them had retreated to Logan's room when people had started to pair off and Lilly refused to sleep in her clothes and made Logan get her something to wear. He'd provided night clothes for all of them. Veronica matched Lilly in a pair of boxers and oversized t-shirt.

Veronica had been tired and so had Lilly they decided that they were going to sleep on Logan's bed. They could have been moved if Logan had really wanted to sleep alone, he hadn't. Logan had drawn the line at Duncan though and insisted that he sleep on the floor. Duncan to drunk to think that he should just go and seek out his a guest room took the pillow tossed to him and passed out.

Logan had not started out this close to Veronica at least she didn't think that he had. In fact she was pretty sure she was sleeping beside Lilly when she fell asleep. Veronica's memories were made foggy by her fatigue. Logan still drunk and not ready to pass out went back into the party to who was left. When he'd come back to his room Lilly and Veronica were both asleep and Logan wedged himself between the two of them. His last thought had been that if he was sleeping with two girls he would definitely be in the middle of them.

"Logan move." Veronica tried shoving him off of her. She was ignoring the fact that she liked him the weight of him. Things could only end badly between the two of them. Besides Lilly was on the other side of Logan.

The only response was an unintelligible mumble. If anything Logan tightened his grip on Veronica. "Logan, I have to pee!" She grabbed his ear and spoke into. She wasn't ready to advance to yelling yet.

"Hmm? What? Just a minute." He nuzzled his head in the spot behind her ear. Veronica resisted the urge to shiver in response. Part of her wanted to stay like this for a little while longer. The bathroom called and Lilly was on the other side of Logan so nothing could come of it anyway. Not that she was sure she wanted something to happen.

"Logan, seriously, get off!" This shove had a little more force behind it. Maybe too much. Logan still half asleep flipped onto his back and on top of Lilly.

"Hey! Some people are sleeping here!" Lilly was woken up by the male landing on top of her.

"She pushed me."

Veronica hopped off the bed before Logan or Lilly could grab her or bring her into the argument. "I told you I had to pee." She walked off to Logan's bathroom.

Logan moved off of Lilly and stared up at the ceiling. "Do you think she'll make breakfast?"

"She usually does." Lilly was now fully awake.

"Good I'm starving"

"So why don't you just do it already?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You and Veronica. It is so obvious."

"We're just friends."

"Yeah you looked real friendly this morning."

"Hey you were in this bed too."

"Not that you appeared to care." Lilly grabbed the remote of the nightstand flipped on the TV to Saturday morning cartoons. Both occupants of the bed fell silent. Veronica was not surprised by the scene. Mornings like this people didn't start talking until they had something to eat, something to sop up the alcohol.

"I'm going to make something to eat." With her hand on the door something seemed off to Veronica. "Hey where's Duncan?" Logan and Lilly shrugged and Veronica decided it wasn't important he was around somewhere. She left the door open she left so that she could yell at them when breakfast was ready.

As she headed down the stairs to the Echolls' kitchen she wondered who else was still here. In the past she'd had to hurry home, with her dad off chasing bail jumpers she was able to spend the day doing nothing. She knew people always stayed the night even if they weren't invited, often they past out where ever. There was no one in the living room off the kitchen though. Probably people in the pool house.

Veronica knew her way around the Echolls' kitchen. Mrs. Navarro had taught her how to make snicker doodles. So she got to work on preparing a massive breakfast. She knew everyone would be fine hitting some greasy spoon diner but she liked being in the kitchen alone first thing in the morning. It relaxed her and people started to show up and share stories about what had happened the night before.

Enbom and Luke had stayed the night and were now sitting at the kitchen counter watching Veronica cook. They were sipping on glasses of water. Neither was speaking yet and Veronica was humming along to the radio. Neither guy would say that they wished that Veronica was wearing their boxers and shirts. Something about a girl in your clothes was hot. They didn't voice their questions to her but they would interrogates Logan later. Logan was a master of the evasive answer. When they finally got to ask him if he'd tapped that they wouldn't be sure if the answer was yes or no.

The first girl to appear was Madison, Dick was following closely on her heels. Dick hadn't put his shirt on he'd had board shorts left over from surfing with Logan one day. Madison was wearing the same thing she had on last night. Behind Madison's back Dick made motions of riding Madison. Enbom and Luke tried to hide their amusement but failed. Madison spun around and glared at Dick, who was quick enough to stop and try to look innocent.

Veronica turned to smile in greeting to the new arrivals and then saw who it was. Dick had experienced the Veronica Mars breakfast before. "So Mars where's the bacon?"

"Almost done."

"Sweet." He hopped up on the counter to wait for the food.

"Dick? Aren't you taking me home?" Madison was not going to stay and watch Veronica cook breakfast. Meg was often referred to as Saint Meg, the title occasionally fell on Veronica as well. Not as much recently but this breakfast thing was enough to make Madison want to hurl.

"Maddie I want breakfast. Veronica makes the best." Veronica tried to ignore the opportunity that had presented itself to her. She could so easily make some snarky comments about Madison but she resisted.

Madison glared at Dick. This was all his fault if she wouldn't have slept with him last night she wouldn't be stuck here with Veronica fucking Mars. "Fine." Her answer was clipped and pissed. She did not joint the three guys at the counter instead walked to the breakfast nook and sat down.

Music turned on from the other room and then Logan strolled into the kitchen. "Good morning!" His voice was over loud. Veronica rolled her eyes and turned back to the pancakes on the stove. Luke, Enbom and Madison glared at him.

"What makes you so chipper this morning?" Luke asked. Logan finished his wide armed spin and looked back at Luke over his shoulder.

"It's not a what but a who. Or more like a two who's."

"That's not really proper grammar." Veronica commented off handly.

"Oh tiny one it doesn't matter. They get the picture."

"Uh, no we don't" Enbom jumped into the conversation. Lilly walked into the kitchen heading straight for Veronica. She dipped a finger into the batter and leaned against the counter and watched Logan talk to his cronies.

"Let me explain then. You asked why I was so up at 'em this morning. I answered that it wasn't a what it was a who." Logan arched an eyebrow at Luke and Enbom. "Does that clarify things for you?"

"Not really. We still want to know who the who is then." Luke mumbled into his water glass.

"Ugh you two are so dense." Madison stood up from the table, shoving her chair back. It scrapped across the tile. "He is saying that he slept with someone and implied it was more than one person. If the two of you would open your eyes and see that both Veronica and Lilly are wearing his underwear it wouldn't be hard to figure out what he is referring to. God." The she stalked out of the room to the adjoining family room flopped down on the couch.

Lilly looked over at Veronica, who had turned around from the stove, they compared their night wear by looking each other up and down. "Well Madison is right we are wearing Logan's underwear. That confirms it."

"Yep we must have had some crazy three some last night. I'm surprised I made it up this morning to make breakfast. Apparently Logan couldn't handle to two of us."

Logan loved the new Veronica. The old one would have been embarrassed and flushed causing more teasing from Lilly and possibly Madison. Now she gave as good as she got and he loved seeing it every time it happened.

Logan didn't notice that Duncan had made it down to the kitchen. He was staring perplexedly at Veronica. Some people never got used to change.

"Logan do you want to defend yourself?" Lilly asked.

"No I don't feel like that is necessary I got you both into bed didn't I? I think that speaks to my prowess doesn't it?"

Madison had had enough. "Dick is breakfast almost ready? I want to go home."

Dick turned to look at his girlfriend and instead of being a god boyfriend and giving in he huffed a hunk of hair out of his face before turning to her. Logan spoke up before he could though. "Maddie I thought you drove yourself. If you need to get home you can leave whenever."

"Oh, Logan she can't leave. She needs to rehash the night out with Dick. She'll force him to tell her he loves her. That way she can justify sleeping with him in the pool house. Although she hardly drank anything 'cept diet soda. Right Maddie?" Lilly walked over to her and walked around with an evil smile. Lilly didn't like it when people interrupted her shows. Though it was a minor production compared to anything that happened last night Veronica had finally step up with potential to be something other than just a supporting character.

Madison's eyes narrowed. She knew that going against Lilly Kane would be a big mistake and it really wasn't worth especially over something so minor. Although she could get some digs in. "I'm sorry Lilly that I don't just sleep with whomever whenever. I have standard for myself and don't lie to spread my legs to easily." She flipped some hair over her shoulder.

Lilly smiled in response. It wasn't a nice smile. Everyone was silent. Veronica kept watch over the pancakes, Duncan stepped into the kitchen. Logan resisted rubbing his hand together in glee, in the back of his mind he thought that there must be something wrong with him he loved confrontation, watching it being a part of it. Enbom, Luke and Dick sat where they were frozen. "Madison, Madison, Madison. You just don't get it do you?" Lilly was shaking her head like some villain in a movie. "You lie to yourself everyday. I don't lie, to myself at least. And I like myself you don't."

"Like you? No, I don't." Madison was trying to be like Lilly. She just continuously fell short. When she was mean she didn't know how to hit all the right spots when offended she usually huffed off, she wasn't good with retorts. When you had her back into a corner she didn't know how to fight back.

"Like your self Maddie, pay attention. Leave if you want. We're going to have a pleasant breakfast." And it was over. Lilly was done and wanted to eat. "Whose making orange juice. You know it's not me and Veronica is making pancakes." She turned to look at the three boys on the counter wondering what had just happened. Lilly could strike at any moment. Lilly hated her mother but there was something of the Ice Queen in her. She could frost people out and set them down without anyone else realizing how the crushing blow had been delivered. Veronica and Duncan had noted it privately once while they were dating. It was never to be spoken of in front of Lilly though.

AN: I know there isn't a lot of forward movement in this chapter. I'm working on how to get Veronica from where she is to the point in her life. So I promise there will be Veronica bad assery and some LoVe coming up!