This was exhausting to write. Phew. Hope you leave feedback!

On a sidenote, I will start a Casey/Veronica fic soon. Please support my endeavors.

And a lot of people reacted to the LV but no one noticed that at the last part of the last chapter, D's ferry was about to sink… Hehe.

Part 5

When the door closed behind Duncan, Veronica felt her heart crushed. The sound of his footsteps fading in the distance was a betrayal. Sending the scanned picture to an online investigating firm was enough to force her into a guilt trip. Duncan had been the only one she depended on after waking up from long months of nothingness. He had never failed her in any regard, provided everything that she needed. When she had paid to get the name of the man in the picture, she felt that she was going against him. She would have given him the chance to explain.

Now, no more.

Veronica had logged online and searched, with only the city he lived in and his name, Veronica started looking for her own answers. She did not know how, but soon enough, she was deep into intricate sites that told her much more.

The easiest, perhaps, and the hardest to accept, was a news blurb that was more of an obituary. "Keith Mars," she had read, "fifty years old, formerly sheriff of Neptune, California and then a private investigator, passed away of complications from his long illness. He is survived by a missing wife and daughter, Lianne and Veronica."

iHe lay in bed, countless tubes and needles piercing his body. Veronica reached out hesitantly and laid a hand on his arm. His skin was hot, and she felt the fluids pulsing in and out of him moving under her fingers.

"Dad," she whispered tentatively.

Keith Mars opened his eyes blearily. His gaze was unfocused at first, until he looked at her. "Hey," he greeted softly, "is my action figure daughter turning into a crying Barbie?"

Veronica smiled through her tears, then self-consciously pushed her hair back. "And has my tough cookie dad been laid low by health problems?" she teased back.

To that, Keith returned her said smile and replied, "It looks like it, honey."

She closed her eyes. It was then that the tears flowed nonstop. "It's just a bug," she told him, knowing he knew she was lying.

"I'm going to be fine, Veronica," Keith assured her. "How are you and Duncan?"

"We're okay. Don't you worry about us." Briefly, she remembered Celeste Kane's proposition. "And don't worry about a thing. I'll take care of everything, dad."

"Come here." Keith lifted the arm with fewer needles stuck into it, and drew his daughter into an embrace. "I don't want you to worry, or to change your lifestyle for me. We'll survive this, Veronica. We survived a psycho murderer. This is easy."/i

She shook her head, denying pieces of a puzzle that slowly escalated to a tallest mountain of lies she had imagined. "Duncan, you did not do this to me," she whispered. For the first time since waking up and accepting that Duncan was the only person who would take care of her and whom she could trust, Veronica stood and walked over to the bedroom, changed her clothes and decided that she would break the one promise he had made her swear to. Veronica would leave the penthouse apartment and venture out on her own.

When she reached the door, the phone rang. It was Duncan, undoubtedly. No one else had this number except for him. Veronica debated letting the phone ring unanswered so that he would know just how mad she was. Involuntarily, she walked over and picked up the phone.

"Duncan," Veronica rasped.

"Mrs. Kane?" Veronica gripped the phone to her ear. She had never once heard an unfamiliar female voice on the telephone that only Duncan had the number to. "Mrs. Kane, my name is Li Shia."

"Li Shia," Veronica repeated. "I'm sorry but I don't know you."

The woman on the other end of the line took an audible breath. "I'm very sorry, Mrs. Kane. I know I'm never supposed to contact you. There's been an emergency."

"Is this about my husband?" Veronica inquired. In her heart of hearts, she was connected to Duncan. She felt ice form around her heart. Veronica walked over to the window and drew the drapes. In the distance she saw the sheets of rain pouring from the sky. Lighting lit the sky.

"Mrs. Kane, can I come by to see you please?" Li Shia asked. "I want to do this in person."

Veronica's nerves drew tight, and she felt that she did not want to hear what Li Shia would have to tell her. "Who are you?" Veronica demanded.

"I'm Mr. Kane's secretary."

Junior programmers did not require personal assistants. Veronica was certain of that. "Tell me the truth."

"Mrs. Kane," Li Shia insisted, "I am telling you the truth. Please. I know that there's a security threat against you and that's why Mr. Kane had never taken you with him to any of Kane Software Pacific's public events. I will show you my identification card. I promise that I don't mean any harm. I need to see you, Mrs. Kane."

Veronica swallowed at the company name. "See me in our apartment," she agreed. She hung up the phone and sat heavily on the couch. "Damn it, Duncan," she whispered. "What have you been hiding from me?"

She knew, based on the pieces of information that she had gathered, that Duncan allowed her to have, that it would only take a few minutes for Li Shia to make it from the office to the penthouse. After all, it was an elevator ride away. When Veronica heard the knock on the door, she walked over to open it.

A short girl, with black hair tied to a bun and deep almond eyes, stood in front of Veronica. "Mrs. Kane, I'm Li Shia." Instead of extending a hand, Li Shia presented her with her company id. Veronica took it and saw the logo. Kane Software Pacific, a subsidiary of Kane Software International. At the back was Duncan's signature. Below his name, his deception. Duncan Kane, CEO.

A lesser woman would have trembled, Veronica thought. "Come in," she whispered. "Can I get you anything?"

Li Shia followed her into the living room and shook her head. She waited for Veronica to sit, then she took her own seat. "Mrs. Kane, I've been working for Mr. Kane for some time, and we've never met," Li Shia began. "I know the circumstances. Mr. Kane trusted me enough to be privy to that. That's why I know it's my role to step in now."

Veronica shook her head. "I don't understand what's going on. Duncan left a few hours ago to help out an old friend."

Li Shia moved forward and reached for Veronica's hand. "Mrs. Kane, Mr. Kane boarded a ferry to Tsim Sha Tsui."

"He went to see Logan Echolls." Veronica frowned. "He was in jail, and Duncan came to bail him out."

The secretary nodded, and reached for her phone at once. "I will get someone to bail Mr. Echolls out."

"Didn't you hear me?" Veronica demanded. "Duncan is going to do that."

Li Shia shook her head. "I'm so sorry, Mrs. Kane. I didn't want these circumstances to be when we would finally meet. Mr. Kane spoke of you so highly." Li Shia turned to Veronica and said, "Mr. Kane's ferry struck fire at the center of the river and sank. It was a freak accident. Lightning struck the bow."

Veronica snatched her hand away and covered her mouth.

"Mrs. Kane, rescue operations are under way. We've sent people to look for survivors. We will get him back," Li Shia assured her. With a determined look, Li Shia told her, "I swear, Mrs. Kane, everything is being done for your husband."

"Take me to the dock."

"It's better for you to stay here, Mrs. Kane," Li Shia advised. "Mr. Kane had always been protective of you. I can't just take you there. It's chaos. You won't have enough security."

"Take me or I will leave myself," Veronica threatened.

Li Shia stood. "Very well, Mrs. Kane. Let me just make the arrangements for your husband's friend."

Inside the police station in Tsim Sha Tsui, Logan watched the storm whip around the island. It had been several hours—more time than it should have taken the punctual Duncan Kane. When his disappointment faded, and Duncan still did not arrive to turn over the bail money and lecture Logan, he started to worry. Duncan never failed him when he needed help. He would not start now.

Even with the circumstances of that final night, the night of Veronica's accident, Duncan had done everything in his power to make it a little bit easier for Logan, if that was even possible.

Sometimes, no matter how much he thought he had finally recovered, memories still assailed him enough to strange and suffocate him.

iRain forced him to run all the way home. He was breathless when he finally closed the door behind him.

Logan placed the laptop on the table, then dried drops of water from the leather bag. He looked around the small apartment. He proceeded to the bedroom, because that was where she usually stayed. After the frightening bleeding episode that she had experienced on her fifth month of pregnancy, the doctor had advised her to get plenty of bedrest. Often Logan arrived to find her sleeping.

When he opened the bedroom door, Logan was surprised to find her leaning over a crib. She turned around and grinned at him. Veronica extended a hand and Logan took it.

"Where did you get this?" Logan asked, impressed at the quality of the wood. He had convinced himself that purchasing a plastic crib would be practical for their finances. Wood was for babies born like him—to fake families of movie star parents and starlet sisters. After all, finding quality wood furniture in Hong Kong meant big bucks.

"Duncan came by and gave it to us," Veronica informed him. She smiled brightly. "It's gorgeous, isn't it? I was going over our bank account and I was so afraid we'd have to buy one of the cheap plastic ones."

"Duncan would never let you down," Logan said in reminder. He had been uncomfortable with the attention and devotion that Duncan had shown her. What had disturbed him more was when Duncan handed him an engagement ring after finding out that Logan had asked her to marry him, but postponed the ring for a time when they were not saving up for a baby.

Logan wrapped his arms around her and breathed in her fragrance. He then pushed her hair back from her shoulder and saw a faint bruising on her neck. He had studied like crazy when he found out about the baby. When he had to take her to the hospital, he had driven himself more into books regarding pregnancy to know that something was off. "Veronica, have you been taking your vitamins?"

"I'm fine, Logan," she said faintly.

His embrace tightened. "You didn't answer my question."

Veronica pulled away from him and walked over to the closet. "Can you bring in my small table from the living room?"

Logan's jaw clenched. He nodded, then went to the living room. He was about to pick up the table when he remembered that there was a drawer at the side. He took it out to prevent the contents from sliding out. Logan placed the drawer on top of the table and saw the vitamin bottles. They were all empty.

She had run out and instead of telling him to buy more, she had simply stopped taking them. Logan lifted the table and proceeded to the bedroom.

"I'm going to get you more vitamins from the drugstore," Logan told her quietly.

"Logan, really, you don't have to."

"Stop it, Veronica. We'll cut back on a few expenses. I'm upset you didn't tell me you've run out." Logan dropped the table beside the crib, and despite his intention not to spill the contents, papers and bottles slid to the floor.

"I didn't have to tell you about it, Logan. Duncan found out when he dropped off the crib. He was going to get them from me." Veronica turned to Logan and saw the change in his expression. He bent to pick up the contents of the drawer. "Logan, please don't be upset. You know it wouldn't matter to Duncan."

"It matters to me," he said tightly.

As he picked up the contents and placed them back in the drawer, he saw documents that recorded money transfers from a Kane bank account to an account under Veronica's name in Neptune.

Logan grasped the documents, crumpling it in his hands. He stood up and saw Veronica's eyes widen when she looked down at what he was holding. "Logan—"

He ran his fingers through his hair and shook the documents. "You should have told me that the money's such a big deal!"

Veronica shook her head. "It was never about the money, Logan!" she denied, the entire time feeling the bile that rose to her throat as she remembered the deal she had made such a long time ago, that deal she regretted because of how it ruined her relationship with Duncan in exchange for giving her father comfortable last months.

"It is about the money," Logan responded angrily. He threw the documents on the floor. "Just tell me so I can have Trina wire the money you said you didn't want! We'll drown in Aaron's money if it means you don't have to go to the Kanes for it!" he yelled.

Veronica's hands dropped down to her seven month belly. "You're so much more to me than money," she whispered.

Logan stalked over to her and grabbed her arm, pulling her towards him and crushing her mouth with his. "One hundred twenty four thousand dollars," he mumbled against her lips. Logan gripped her arm. At the back of his head he knew she would bruise. She hissed in pain. "That's nothing."

She opened her eyes and saw that despite his anger his eyes were moist with tears and betrayal. The pain in his eyes throbbed inside her.

"Tell me, Veronica, have you been receiving money from them?"

Veronica closed her eyes. "Yes."

"Did you see Duncan before I even met him again?" he demanded. Logan turned his face away and turned her around, pushing her against the windowsill, which she gripped. He hiked up her skirt and drew down her underwear, kissing the backs of her thighs.

Veronica felt wetness against her legs. This time, they were Logan's tears. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"You never told me the two of you met before then."

"I owed him," she confessed through her tears. She had left Duncan in exchange for money and broke his heart. Even if it was for her father, Duncan did not deserve to be dropped and left without explanation.

"Shut up," Logan growled, thinking of what she would have done to set off a hundred thousand dollars of debt. He stood behind her and bit her neck. He laid his hands on her hips and pushed inside her, in his anger still careful not to hurt the baby. "Shut up."

Veronica cried, but relished the feel of his hands on her skin, his body inside hers. She was so afraid this would be the last time. A man could only take so much.

All along she knew she was playing with fire. She had known it since she started seeing Logan with so much still left hanging with Duncan.

He pushed inside her, and now her nape was wet with his tears. Logan grunted into her ear. "I hate you," he cried out as he released himself and spilled at the back of her thighs. Logan held her tightly against him as they stumbled back from the window to the bed.

Veronica turned in his arms and reached for the buttons on his shirt, shivering at the feel of his come outside her womb. He never came outside her body before, and it scared her that he did now. When she revealed his chest, Veronica kissed him there. She reached up to kiss his lips, but he turned away.

From the pocket of his half-open pants, he drew a ring and tossed it behind him on the bed. "I would've given you that," he said coldly. "It's probably worthless next to so many other things he can get for you."

Veronica saw the small gold ring that in fact faded in comparison to what Duncan could have and would have offered. She slid it on her fingers and showed it to him. "It's more beautiful that anything I've ever seen," she told him through her tears.

Logan shrugged her away and stood up, then fastened his pants. "Just go away," he choked out. "I don't want to see you ever again."

Veronica watched his back as he left. Then he turned around, "You'll see what kind of man I am when I use my money the way Duncan uses his, and I will, Veronica. You'll settle child visitation rights with people I buy with money."

An hour and she still stared at the closed door. When she finally pulled herself up, Veronica picked up spare change and in the rain, tried to hail a cab. Fifteen minutes later, one stopped and let her in. "Eaton House," she said to the driver.

Duncan met her at the lobby and took in her form, drained and wet. He opened his arms and wrapped her in a warm embrace, shaking her as she shivered and dripped on the carpet. "I only ever wanted you to be happy," he whispered into her ear as he led her to the elevators.

"That's how fast it took," came the whisper that sent cold fingers running down their spine.

Duncan turned with Veronica in his arms and saw Logan drenched, looking across at them from the lobby of Eaton House. Logan turned and walked away.

Veronica pulled herself out of Duncan's arms and ran after Logan. He walked briskly, and Veronica tried to keep up. "Logan," she cried out, "don't do this to us!"

He turned to her, his eyes blazing with anger. "I didn't do this to us, Veronica. You did!"

He was right. Veronica hesitated before following him again. In the middle of the street, under the rain, she pleaded. She reached for his arm, but he snatched it away. He hopped onto the sidewalk, his mind in turmoil about whether to go left or right, knowing he just needed to get away from her. He burst into a run. Veronica stumbled on the step and fell a few steps back by the corner.

Logan heard the screeching tires and the muffled scream. He turned around, ran back and was frozen by the scene.

As if in slow motion, Duncan dropped to his knees in front of the prone body and looked up at Logan in fury and grief. What the hell did you do?" Duncan demanded, his cry sharp and painful through the cold, still air. "What the hell did you do!"

Logan blinked at the sight, but did not move.

Beside the unmoving body, Duncan fumbled for his phone. "I have an emergency!"

The cab driver got out of his vehicle and looked in panic at the sight of the pregnant woman on the ground. He assessed the image of Duncan hunkered over the victim yelling at the taller man who looked on in confusion. Soon, the police had arrived with an ambulance. "He pushed her," the driver said when asked. He pointed to Logan Echolls who seemed to be caught in his own trance as Veronica was loaded onto the gurney. "He pushed her into the street," the driver claimed.

The cold metal of the handcuffs around his wrists vied with the coldness in his heart./i

Logan crumpled at the corner of the jail and clutched at the inexpensive gold ring hanging around his neck.

"Echolls."

He looked up and saw a strange man standing outside. "Who are you?"

"I'm Mr. Chien, Mr. Kane's employee. I came to bail you out," was the introduction.

Logan stood up and waited for the police officers to unlock the door. He stepped out and shook the man's hand. "Where's Duncan?" he asked. It was unlikely for Duncan to have a representative do things for him. Duncan was personal, especially when it came to Veronica and to Logan.

i"I took care of everything," Duncan told him as Logan sat outside by the pool of the Echolls' estate. "The charges were dropped. The driver was obviously lying."

Logan did not speak. He merely stared at the water. He was out of place, but he could not move. When he was charged, Duncan had used his influence and money to get him out of jail and into a plane bound for California so fast he did not know what was happening until the plane landed in America.

Duncan handed him the gold ring. "You don't have to worry about anything. I've made all the arrangements. It's all over, Logan. Move on," he advised.

When Duncan had left, Logan looked down at the cheap gold ring he had tossed at Veronica on that last night. It represented his love and devotion, and it meant…

Logan threw the ring into the pool and waited as the glimmer faded and sank to the very bottom. He closed his eyes and willed himself to sleep and fade into oblivion where he would not want to kill himself every second.

Then he stood at the edge of the pool and dove deep enough so that he could reach the ring./i

"Mr. Kane was on his way when his ferry boat capsized. We're still looking for him." Mr. Chien, apparently having completed his only job of bailing Logan out, bowed at the waist and hurried away.

Logan remembered the fiancé that Duncan had not wanted to mention. Logan would return the favor, then go back home to America because Hong Kong would always be a place of death and pain. He was unwilling to stay anymore.

Logan got onto a ride back to Hong Kong and saw the docks filled with people who were frantic and crying. He made his way to the desk where victims' families asked about their loved ones.

"Has Duncan Kane been found?" he demanded.

"Not yet," was the answer. "Please wait with his wife." He was pointed to the blonde woman who stood at the railing, looking out at the water.

Logan frowned, because Duncan had not married yet. Fiancé and wife must mean almost the same thing. He approached the woman, then stopped when an Asian woman walked over to her. "Mrs. Kane, you have to go home and rest."

"No," was the simple answer.

Logan reached out and put his hand on her shoulder. "Mrs. Kane?" The Asian looked up at him, and her eyes widened. Mrs. Kane turned around and looked up at him.

He found himself looking down at the tear-streaked face of Veronica Mars.

tbc