A.N: Hello you happy people who have Season 2... sniff, I need to wait until the weekend, at least. Sniff...
Anyways, thanks so much for the lovely REVIEWS, they truly make me happy! And I'm glad you like that character's rants at the end. I personally really enjoy writing them, it's a really fun way bring a little humor to the story. This week is Duncan, tell me if you like it. If not, I can just make it only Logan and Veronica's space, though I think a lot of character would have something to say. Your choice, my darlings.
So, anyway, thanks as always to wildhorses's for betaing my story. I'm forever grateful. And thanks tomoirariordan, SpikesSpecialFriend and Josilicious for offering to be my beta-readers. You guys are really sweet! Unfortunatley, I've backed off that story I was writing. At leastfor now, writer's block and all. But thanks anyway, I love you? blushes
Enjoy the chapter! This one is one of my favorites. And by the way, there's a little shout-out somewhere in there for Sailor Grape and something she wrote on her review. Have fun!
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"You did?" Lianne asked, agitated, "And?"
Keith sighed and looked at Veronica, "It's negative."
"Really?" she asked miserably, "Are you sure?"
Keith nodded, "There's no doubt. I'm not Veronica's biological father."
She sniffled and sat down, still holding Veronica's bandaged hand, "And, does she know?"
"I told her it was positive," he admitted.
Lianne sighed, "More lies, Keith? Are you sure that's wise?"
He shrugged shamefully, "No. But I just couldn't tell her. I couldn't have her look at me differently," Lianne tried to say something but he interrupted, "I know she wouldn't have minded but it would always be there between us. I just couldn't stand that."
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Outside, Duncan leaned heavily against the wall, tears springing out of his eyes as he tried his best to silence the sobs racking his body. He had known the knowledge that Veronica wasn't his sister was too good to be true. He covered his eyes with his hands and slumped down to a sitting position, much like he had when Veronica had run away from his sick, love confession a week ago.
"Hey, man, are you ok?" Logan asked, crouching down beside Duncan. He had told the other two idiots, who seemed kind of friendly towards each other, surprisingly, that he was going to the bathroom.
Duncan lifted his head in surprise; he had never even heard Logan approach him. He nodded weekly and murmured a hoarse, "Yeah."
Logan shook his head, "Man, is it that bad?"
Duncan was about to reply, a lie ready on his lips, but was distracted by the still ongoing conversation between Veronica's parents.
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Lianne nodded, "I understand… but what if she wants to date Duncan again, what would you say?"
"I hadn't even thought of that. I just assumed that with all the baggage between them, they'd just let it be. Besides, after all of this, I think maybe we should move out of Neptune, find a place where she can heal and put the past behind her."
Lianne perked up at the mention of leaving. "Leave? And go where?"
He shrugged again, "I don't know. We'll find a new town, I don't know where, maybe not even in California. Start a new life."
"When?"
"I was thinking about after the trial, but maybe even as soon as when she gets out of the hospital. I'll start making arrangements to stop renting the apartment and sell the business."
Lianne looked at Veronica, and then at the door towards the hallway, where she assumed Veronica's friends weren't sitting and shook her head, "She wouldn't like it."
Keith nodded, "I know, but she'll be going to college next year anyway, and I just can't see how she can have a healthy life here. Too much has happened. This will be the best thing for her."
Lianne nodded and couldn't help admiring her husband for thinking so far ahead when all she wanted to do was just shake her daughter until she woke up and then hold onto her forever.
"Besides," he continued, "I want to get her away from the Kane's and from kids like Logan and Weevil… she'll just have to accept that."
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Outside, Logan shook his head and let out a sound that was something between a bitter chuckle and a huff. Parents were so stupid, were they really supposed to go through the next year apart from each other? It sounded like the dumbest thing ever suggested. And if Keith thought Veronica would just sit back and accept that situation, he obviously hadn't learned anything from the past year's events.
Duncan, however, just looked pensive. Logan shot him a wondering look as if asking 'aren't you supposed to be distressed by this too?' and contemplated barging into the room and shielding Veronica with his body.
But that would probably be more affective the day they actually tried to take her, that day he'd hold onto her and snap at everyone who tried to take her away from him. For now, all he could do was drag Duncan away to the cafeteria. On the way, they passed the nurse's station where all the nurses and the orderlies were crouched together, watching Days of Our Lives.
Hmm, so that's why they didn't care about all the screaming, Logan mused. Did that mean he'll just have to wait unti Young & Restless is on in order to murder his father without interruptions?
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"What about you, Keith?" Lianne asked, a moment later, already sobering up, which wasn't very good, "That Willis kid told me you were dating his mother… are you just gonna leave her?"
Keith chuckled, "Well, I already left her, as a matter of fact, when you came back. I thought we could work things out for Veronica's sake, but I can see we're still just as fake as always."
She nodded, "Divorce, then? We should have done it years ago."
They both felt as if a piece of them were being ripped out. And even though that piece was sometimes horrible, it still felt painful to remove it.
"I'm just hoping," Keith murmured weakly, "that you'll move to wherever we do, rebuild the relationship with your daughter."
"Of course I will," she nodded, trying really hard to feel convinced that it would actually happen, "I'll do whatever it takes."
Keith eyed her skeptically, "It's good thing you sobered up, though. And his name's Wallace, by the way."
"Yeah."
Keith checked his watch and whispered: "She's supposed to wake up any minute now."
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When she woke up, Veronica found herself lying on an air mattress that was floating on a lake filled with water lilies. She lazily looked around and almost doubled over and fell into the water when she saw Lilly lying on a similar mattress next to her, wearing the same pink bikini she was wearing.
Surprise, however, was soon replaced with peaceful contentment, "Hey," she said softly.
Lilly opened her eyes and turned to look at her, "Hey. I was beginning to think you were never gonna wake up. You've been lying like that for hours."
Veronica lay back and looked at the clear sky above her, "Well, I've been through quite a lot today, you know," she glanced at Lilly, "Isn't it better? Like this"
"So much better," Lilly purred back.
"This is how it's supposed to be," Veronica declared silently.
"Totally," Lilly agreed.
Veronica turned back to the sky and closed her eyes, for once not afraid that when she opened them, this would all be gone, "This is how it's gonna be, from now on, right?" Lilly suddenly looked a little sad so Veronica, getting a little scared, called to her.
Lilly looked at her and smiled sadly, "You know how things are gonna be now, don't you? You have to know."
Veronica's smile faded, "Just like this, just like this," she said, pleading, hoping that if she could convince herself this was real, it would be.
Lilly tilted her head slightly, "Don't forget about me Veronica," she asked softly.
Veronica felt something swell in the back of her throat, it made it hard for her to turn to Lilly and whisper: "I could never."
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"Hey, it's Duncan this time. Oh jeez, sorry you're disappointed, but you know, there are other guys in this series besides Logan. Like me! And, as a matter of fact, I'm not doing so hot at the moment, thank you very much. My sistergirlfriend is in a coma! And worse, into another guy! Who's my best friend! And to top that, 95 of the viewers are rooting for them!
"Hello? What am I, a goat? Don't I deserve some attention? Logan's not even that nice! Well, not usually that nice! And now I'm locked in the basemeant with the entire cast, and it sucks! This imaginary basemeant is really crowded and I have to tolerate Logan and Veronica always making out. So please, if you have any love for me whatsoever (or affection? Or tolerance?), REVIEW this dumbass story and help me get Meg back, at least.
"Oh, and Lily says that if you REVIEW she just might bring Veronica back, finally. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to take a pill or something, LoVe is at it again. Argh."
Logan & Veronica: "Lily said you might not REVIEW if only Duncan asks you to. That's kinda sad, he's really not that bad. We like him, anyway... Now, if you'll excuse us, we need to... do, some... stuff. Bye!"