A/N:Many thanks to lex, my muse, as well. As always feedback is muchly appreciated. Italics are VMVO.
"Just wanted to check on you." Duncan answered. "You didn't look so hot this morning." Veronica smiled and stepped back to let him in.
"How's everything at home?" She asked, an eyebrow raised speculatively. He grinned.
"Mom was a bit...touched on the way home." Duncan said, grinning as Veronica shut the door.. "She couldn't quite believe we weren't related." He was staring at her...and it was then she realized she was still wearing her robe and pajamas. Veronica flushed, pulled the edges of the robe closer together.
"Bet that was a fun conversation." Veronica replied, ignoring her embarrassment and sitting down. Duncan shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back on heels.
"Let's just say it was memorable." He said.
"I know what those are like." Veronica agreed.
And she spells her name M-o-m.
"So...what are you guys gonna do with the 50 grand?" Duncan asked, at a loss for something to say.
"Dad's thinking college fund...or he was. I'm thinking new car, then college fund." Veronica answered, getting up and walking to her dad's briefcase and stuck her hand inside the front pocket.
"Got anything picked out yet?" He wanted to know.
"No..." Veronica froze as her hand came up empty.
This can't be happening.
She dug deeper into the pocket, determined that she would find something. Veronica was disappointed for the second time that day as her hand came away with air.
"What?" Duncan asked, seeing her pained expression. "What's wrong?" She didn't answer him with words. She picked up her dad's briefcase and hurled at the wall.
Damn it, Mom.
"The check is gone." Veronica finally replied.
"The check...wait, the check for 50 grand is gone?" Duncan parroted.
"Yeah." Veronica wiped at her eyes. She didn't want to cry in front of Duncan. There'd been too much of that lately.
"I don't understand." He said.
"My mother took it." She replied, staring off into space.
"Your mother?" Duncan exclaimed.
"It's a long story." She waved it away, desperate to pull herself together. She and her dad didn't need the money. They'd always managed to make do before.
Her resolve crumpled then, and before she knew it she was sobbing, and Duncan was holding her in his arms.
"Every thing's so messed up." She managed to get out, her voice shaking as she cried. "How did everything get so messed up?"
"I don't know." Duncan led her over to the couch and sat her down, putting an arm around her shoulders.
"Dad's in the hospital, mom split with the 50 grand, Logan's dad killed Lilly because he was having an affair with her, and Logan..." She trailed off, gasping. "Logan may have jumped off the Coronado Bridge, following in his mother's footsteps, because of me."
"It's not your fault, Veronica." Duncan tried to comfort her. "You can't be responsible for Logan's actions."
"No?" Veronica countered, bitter. "You didn't see him at the beach yesterday. He was so..." She gulped.
Angry, hurt, betrayed, upset...pick an adjective.
"Lost." Veronica finished, wiping her eyes with the heels of her hands. She wiped them on her robe nervously before continuing. "This morning Leo and I went to the bridge...and God, Duncan, I think I found his suicide note." Her voice cracked. He blinked at her in shock, and then stood abruptly.
"No. No way." He was angry, and she stared at him in surprise.
"I don't see how..." Veronica began, her voice thick from crying.
"He's not dead, Veronica." Duncan nearly shouted at her. "He's just missing...laying low."
"I don't think so, Duncan." She said quietly. "I think he's...gone."
"No." Duncan replied.
"Duncan." She was pleading.
"He's not dead." Duncan insisted. "He's not because I'd feel it. We've been friends since we were in kindergarten, Veronica. I've known him forever. I'd know it if he was dead." He choked out. "And if you loved him at all, then you know it too." Duncan finished, turning to look at her. Their gazes locked, and she slowly nodded.
Ok. Logan's not dead.
"I'll find him." Veronica found herself promising.
"We'll find him." Duncan chimed in, sitting back down next to her. She smiled shyly and he smiled back. The silence lengthened.
Wait for it. Awkward.
Veronica thanked her lucky stars when someone knocked on the door.
"Man, this place has been Grand Central all day." She said, getting up and answering it.
"Veronica Mars." Weevil greeted her, standing under the her porch light. "You are one tough chick to get a hold of."