I do not own Veronica mars or any of the characters besides Rachel she is my pride and joy! I hope you enjoy the story, it is a prequel to my first story 'The Greatest Love' I hope you like them both. Long Live the King Rob Thomas!

"What the hell happened" yelled Duncan, looking over the now empty room. He had stayed at school and sat in class going over in his head what happened. When they left they went to Logan's to see if she was there but found and empty room.

"She's gone man" Logan said putting his hand on his friends shoulder. Veronica went downstairs to get him something to drink. Duncan sat on her bed his head in his hands sobbing. How could he be so stupid? Questions were running through his mind. Was she playing him since the beginning? Was this some big 'Fuck You' prank? Did she love him? Did she even care for him? Was she really a virgin? Who really was this guy?

He stood up and wiped his face then ran down the stairs and into the kitchen. He gently grabbed Veronica's elbow and asked "find out all you can about this guy, I need to know what's going on" the desperation was in his eyes.

They went to her office and she powered on her laptop, going into full detective mode, while Logan drove around looking for where she went. "His name is Peter Collins Greatin" she started looking over at the distraught Duncan sitting on the couch. "his father own Greatin Sports Car. He has a couple of speeding tickets and…. Oh my god" she stopped Duncan jumped up from his seat and ran over to the screen.

"He has three assault and battery charges" she continues a look of horror plagued her face. "Two were dropped but the last one he did 1 year of jail for, let me see if I can get the report" she clicked a couple more things "here we go" she said opening another file. "Her name was Rachel Larson" Duncan's expression dropped even further. "Does that mean something:"

"A reporter mistaken Rachel for her at the beach" still looking at the screens. She clicked on the photos.

"Oh Duncan" she said looking at the terrifying sight in front of her. It was Rachel, she was thinner and had blonde hair, she was covered in bruises and her lip and eye were swollen. She had an arm in a sling, and tubes running in and out of her. Duncan's eyes started to water at this sight, she was so broken, so weak.

"Why would she go back with him?" he asked still looking at the screen.

"I don't know but we will find out I promise" her cell phone rang and she grabbed it. "Hello… she's where….is he with her…..well at least we know she is safe….for now….nevermind I will tell you later…ok bye."

"where is she?" he asked overhearing the call.

"In Poway she is living with some family, Logan said their mailbox read the Grangers" she said looking to see if he knew.

"Yeah that was her dads old business partner, he would have taken her in when her grandpa died but she declined because she wanted to live here, they were nice I met them a couple of times." He said a little relieved that she wasn't shacked up with Peter.

"Yeah well we will give her a day or two, then we will bug her room and car, maybe it will give us some clue what is going on" she said.

The next couple of days were hell for Duncan; he was miserable even worse then when he and Veronica broke up. He wouldn't listen to anyone and all he could focus on was school work. He thought that would be what Rachel would want him to do. After school fifth period he got restless he had independent study sixth so he decided to leave. Logan joined him and they drove down to Poway, she was back in school. It was passing period for them and they stood in the parking lot looking over the crowd of students. Finally he spotted her, she was wearing a long sleeve sweater and pants with flip flops. She looked so small and sad, like a little girl who lost her mother in the mall. She had her headphones on and silently nodded to people she noticed.

"Why didn't you tell me he beats her?" Logan asked.

"Veronica told you?"

"No look at her, when have you ever seen her wear a sweater she is covering her arms, and look at the way she is holding herself she is trying to comfort herself" Logan said looking over Rachel. They watched as her friend Paul walked over and engulfed her in a huge hug, they watched her wince cry, she came up with some bullshit excuse and he believed it walking away. The tardy bell rang but Rachel didn't go to class, instead she walked to the back of the school, there was a trailer and behind it was a old couch in the shade of a tree.

They ducked behind the trailer and watched her remove her sweater, bruises covered her arms in the shape of fingers, they were black and deep red. She ran her hand down the side of her arm wincing at the pain. Duncan moved to go and confront her but logan pulled him back. They walked back to the car and got in.

"Wait until we find out more." He said as he drove back to Neptune.

The next day was Friday and they planned to bug her room, Duncan walked up to the house and rang the doorbell. A tall woman with short black hair answered the door, "Duncan so nice to see you" she said letting him in.

"I came to give Rachel this" he said handing over a teddy bear.

"Well she isn't here right now but I will make sure she gets it" he let himself out and walked out to the car. Twenty minutes later he saw her walk up the driveway and into the two story house. Veronica turned on the microphone and they all listened.

"Karen where did this come from?" holding up the teddy bear.

"Duncan dropped it off earlier"

she walked into her room and closed the door, she then turned on her CD player and Duncan recognized the song. "Its our song" he said listening to the music. 'everything' by lighthouse filled her room. Then they heard the sobs, she was crying while clutching the bear. Duncan did all he could to not run up and comfort her. She did feel something for me he thought.

They heard a knock on her door, "Peter what are you doing here?"

"You don't look happy to see me"

"No I was just wondering"

"Well I was hoping to spend some time with my fiancé."

Duncan's hands turned into fists, "Where is Karen?"

"She had to go run some errands, she let me in"

"Peter stop, peter" she said struggling to push him away.

"What you still thinking about your little boyfriend"

"No but you know how I feel, it is against my religion to have sex until marriage." Duncan's face shot up in a smile, she didn't want to have sex with him, she loved Duncan.

"Well we will be soon" he said anger in his voice. "Now get ready we are going to dinner, and don't you dare try to call your boyfriend again or so help me god I will kill you" then there was a smack.

She had tried to call him, she got hurt trying to talk to him. He checked his cell phone and there was a message from the day before. It read 'Duncan I am so sorry, no more secrets check my room, don't worry'.

"Get me back to Neptune" he snapped as Veronica started the car. They reached Logan's and ran to her room; he began to tear it apart but couldn't find anything. He sat on the bed and looked around, that's when he spotted, the corner of a book peaking out from underneath the dresser.

"What is that?" asked Logan looking at it curiously.

"It's her journal" Duncan said with a smile.

PLEASE REVIEW I cannot go on without reviews! What do you think will happen next, I hoped you liked it. The next chapter will hold all the answers.