Okay, we're starting our approach towards "Russkie Business." Expect heavy plot alteration. And as always, the reviews are appreciated.

Disclaimer: Alas, it doesn't belong to me, but Rob Thomas.

X X X X X

As the fire died down – it took a while – I pulled my arm from Logan's back and said, "I think I should get going."

He took my hand as I turned to go and, gently pulling me back, said, "Stay. Please. No campaigning. I promise. I just – hell, Veronica. I just don't want to be by myself at the moment. I don't know what I'd do."

I checked the time. It was a bit past 9 PM. "Okay," I said. "But I have to leave by 10, okay?"

I helped him put out the fire and then we went inside. Cleanup could wait.

We went inside and I said, "So, kind of hard to come up with a follow-up act to all of that," I said.

"That may be the understatement of the century. But – could you do me a favor?"

"What?"

"If I dwell on it right now I'm going to do something stupid. So can we not talk about any of it? Not my father sleeping with Lilly or killing her, not what we're going to do, nothing. I'll want to spend the rest of the night getting drunk and stupid and I think that's a very bad idea right now.

"So what were you thinking of?"

From somewhere he produced a deck of cards. "I was thinking of getting even with you at poker."

I laughed, we sat down at a table, and we started playing.

X X X X X

That night I dreamed of Lilly.

I was sitting on the edge of a swimming pool in a black one-piece and Lilly, in a white bikini, was lying on an inflatable raft a few feet away. She looked at me and smiled. "C'mon in, dorkus, the water's fine."

"Like you swim!" I said, threatening to splash her. Lilly hated to get her swimsuit actually wet. She always thought the least appealing part of going to a swimming pool was, well, the swimming.

Though there was no one around watching Lilly, which was strange. Lilly always drew a crowd.

And then I remembered: Lilly was dead.

I looked over at her and said, "Was Aaron Echolls having an affair with you? Did he kill you?"

Lilly pulled down her sunglasses and said, "Oh, Veronica Mars. Who wouldn't want to have an affair with me?"

"You know, this 'doomed to walk the earth' thing really isn't as helpful as it could be."

"Yeah, I was expecting a little more Buffy and a little less Riddle of the Sphinx, but what are you going to do? On the plus side, though, I may be able to stop with the fashion advice: it looks like your own sense has started to kick in. Love what you've done with the hair." She lay back on the raft. "And you and Logan?"

"There is no me and Logan," I said. Lilly just grinned.

"If there ever is, I approve. I mean, you're not me, but you're the next best thing."

" What do I do next?" I asked. "I know who killed you, but I can't do anything about it."

"Isn't that enough to make you happy?" She said. "It makes me happy."

"It's not," I said. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry." She just grinned. "Just get in the pool."

"I can't," I said. "Not yet. After all, you're still walking the earth."

"Floating, Veronica Mars. Floating."

X X X X X

When I woke up, I didn't know where I was for a second. I looked around frantically –

And relaxed when I found myself in bed. My Lilly dreams almost always have that effect on me. Like all of them, this one had meant something, I just wish I could figure out what.

I remembered the rest of the previous night. Logan and I had played hold 'em until I once again had all his money, beating his two pair of kings and queens with my king-high straight (I'd had 10-jack in the hole, he'd had king-queen); then we'd come out and sat on the couch and talked about other things.

True to his word, Logan hadn't 'campaigned' at all. No flirting, not one remotely suggestive comment. Which had oddly made me respect him even more.

It hadn't actually been until 11 or so that I left, but I'd called dad explaining the circumstances. He'd frowned (yes, I could hear the frown over the phone; Dad's frowns are audible on Saturn), but he understood why. "But Veronica," he'd said, "Try not to get involved in any more impromptu fires. I don't want my next call to be from Don Lamb gloating about how my daughter's in jail for arson."

I'd given Dad a fuller story when I got home – but I hated having to leave out knowing that Aaron Echolls killed Lilly. I wanted to call a news conference the next morning and tell everyone.

But I couldn't. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

This is life, Veronica: There are no happy endings. Not for you, not for Logan, and especially not for Lilly Kane.

I'd lain awake for a long time that night thinking about what I'd learned. About Lilly, and Aaron, and Logan. The only thing I knew by the time I drifted off is how we were going to get into the Kane house to check Lilly's vent.

I looked at the clock. 4:45 AM. Too early to get up and do anything.

My head was racing far too much about far too many things for me to be able to get back to sleep. Around 6 I gave up, got up, took Backup for an early-morning walk, and came back and took a shower.

I was less than my best at breakfast that morning. Dad noticed and asked what was wrong; I told him I hadn't gotten a good night's sleep, which was true, but only part of it.

"Are you going to look for the person who may have left the shot glass today?"

"Absolutely," I lied.

He looked at me sternly. "Remember, Veronica: Identify only. I'll handle any questioning that needs to be done." I promised him I'd let him handle it. "By the way," he asked oh-so-casually, "Are you and Logan dating?"

"No. I mean, there was the all-night Marquis de Sade Appreciation festival we went to, but I'd hardly call that dating."

"Very funny, sweetheart," he said. "Now what's the answer to the question?"

"No," I said. "But he's trying to date me." He looked at me steadily. "Don't worry, Dad. I've got too much invested in my sensual-massage-and-smoothies fling with Kid Rock to ever start anything with Logan."

"I thought I told you to stop seeing Kid Rock," Dad said, but let it go.

Logan was standing by the front of the school. A banner that read "Total Eclipse of the Heart" hung over the doorway.

"Thanks," he said simply as I approached. "For last night."

"You know, if anyone overheard you, they might assume something entirely different from what you mean," I said.

He shrugged. "It's not like I care about my reputation. And it's not like getting a reputation for sleeping with me would make yours go anywhere but up."

I looked at him sharply, but he was obviously only teasing. "Yeah, I guess after the whole swimming team, the chess team, and Wallace AND Meg Manning in a threesome, you'd be kind of an upgrade."

"Kind of?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Don't push your luck," I said. "And thank you for last night as well."

The eyebrow stayed raised. "Why? You helped me; I didn't do anything."

"Which is why I'm thanking you."

He laughed. "My schemes are working!" he said melodramatically.

"That wasn't part of any scheme," I said. "I'm Machiavelli, not you."

We walked into the school. In front of the room where the "Total Eclipse of the Heart" dance was going to take place, Logan stopped me. "I think we need to discuss more what we're going to do next about what Aaron did and I didn't do," he said.

"I already know," I said. "We need to get into Lilly's vent. And right in there—" I pointed to the dance room – "is the guy who can help us do it." Logan looked in the room, where Duncan stood directing the room decoration. At his puzzled look, I said, "Sometimes the best way to be tricky is not to be tricky at all."

"Are you sure he can handle the truth?" Logan asked.

"No. So we won't bring up the murder investigation. Just the note."

We walked into the room where Duncan was telling some woman up a ladder, "Don't be stingy with the glitter. Remember. It's an eighties dance." He turned and looked at us as we came towards him. "If I didn't know better," he said, "I'd guess you two were going to the dance together." He actually seemed kind of happy about the prospect.

"Maybe," was Logan's response. "Actually, we have a favor to ask."

"Ask away," Duncan said.

Right then Meg Manning came up, dragged me off, and asked me to find her secret admirer, interrupted by a mysterious phone call where the caller did nothing but breathe. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Logan and Duncan talk.

I broke off with Meg at more or less the time he broke off with Duncan. "Well?" I asked.

"We're in," Logan said. "We can go to the Kane house after school."

Me in the Kane house again. Well, that should be fun . . .