Given the shifting nature of the recollections of Shelly Pomroy's party in A Trip to the Dentist -- in one person's reminiscences, Veronica sang "I Touch Myself," in another, Dick did, for instance -- I'm going to add a little testimony that contradicts something we saw in the episode. Just a forewarning. There is much borrowed from that episode in this section.

Thanks to all my reviewers and regular readers; I have never gotten this much feedback for ANYTHING before. Thanks so much.

X X X X X

After the short but fun makeout session in the X-Terra, we headed back to class. We jointly agreed that there was no point in questioning anyone else until we dealt with Duncan and Cassidy.

I also figured it probably wouldn't be worth talking to Shelly Pomroy herself. It sounded like she was as bad off as I was, whether she was drunk, drugged, whatever. As for the other 90 or so people, I had no idea what they knew.

We lay in wait for Cassidy at the end of the day. As he was leaving, Logan and I swooped in, guided him into the girls' restroom that served as my "office," and planted the Out of Order sign on the door. Once we got inside, Logan leaned against it so no one could get in or out.

Cassidy was looking around the room nervously, as though he were going to be able to find somewhere to hide.

Logan said, "That's not happiness to see us, is it, Beaver?"

"Um . . . what do you guys want?"

"Just the answers to some questions," I said. "For one thing: I just found out that Dick dumped me on a bed at Shelly Pomroy's party and invited you to have a go at me. Care to explain?" I used as pleasant a voice as I could.

"Nothing happened."

"Oh, no, Beave," I said. "Something happened. And now we're going to be told what." The or else was implied.

Cassidy said, "I swear to God, I didn't touch you. Dick, well, he was all on me to, and there was this freshman, her name's Cindy and she was supposed to be easy, and we, we were supposed to . . . well, you know. And then she was all over him --" he pointed to Logan -- "and they both left early."

I looked at Logan. "That part's true. Not the part about Cindy being easy, though." This actually proved to the 0.01 of me that was still a little uncertain that Logan had had nothing to do with it. That that 0.01 had still existed troubled me a bit, but then I've never actually been all about the trust.

"So what happened next?" Logan asked.

"When, when Dick noticed, he took me into the guest room with you. Dick -- well, he ran his hand up your thigh, while Sean watched. Dick asked if I needed him to 'get me started;' and I told them to go. Sean tossed me some condoms and they both left."

"And?"

"And I checked to see if you were okay, then ran out of the room and threw up. You know, my big night, I'm supposed to lose my virginity, and instead I puke on Carrie Bishop's shoes. Nothing happened. I, I swear on my life the last time I saw you you were passed out on the bed."

I looked over at Logan; he looked at me.

"How tragic of you to have to have seen that," Logan said, opening the door. "I feel for you, man. Really." As Cassidy moved past him, Logan grabbed his arm. "And we'd better not find out you're lying, Beaver. Just an unfriendly warning."

He ran out. "So," he asked. "Do we trust him?"

"We don't have to." I smiled.

"Why's that?"

"You'll see."

X X X X X

"We don't need coffee right now, Veronica."

"Not why we're here. But we're ordering something anyway."

We were in one of Neptune's many coffee shops. This one was special. Carrie Bishop worked here.

"What can I get you?"

I said, "A hot chocolate, an IBC, two magic cookie bars and two minutes of your time."

She sighed but said, "I'm busy, but go ahead."

"Do you remember Shelly's party last year?"

"Yeah."

"Two questions. First off, did Beaver Casablancas run out of the house and throw up on your shoes?"

She looked at me like I'd asked for a graphic description of her sex life. "What kind of question is that?"

"A weird one. Did he?" Logan asked.

"No. And I'd remember. I was wearing brand new heels. I would have been some pissed if Beaver had tossed his cookies on them."

I turned to Logan. He was getting it now. I didn't know why Cassidy had lied; it may have come as naturally as breathing to him. Or maybe he just didn't want me to find out what had really happened at the party.

Or maybe he'd been the one to rape me. Anything was possible.

"Do you remember anything else? Because I don't. Most of the night is a complete blank."

She leaned in and whispered the next part. "Yeah. I was passing the open door and I saw a man on top of you -- you were ripping off each other's clothes. I shut the door to give you two some privacy."

"Who was it?"

With a lot of reluctance, she said, "It was Duncan. Duncan Kane."

Duncan? Duncan wouldn't . . . I mean, he was a nice . . .

All of a sudden I couldn't take it anymore. I walked away from the counter. Carrie yelled something after me about whether I still wanted my magic cookie bars. Tossing a twenty at her, Logan said, "Keep the change" and ran after me.

When we got back to the X-Terra, Logan handed me the keys. "What do you want me to do with these?" I said.

"Drive. If I get behind the wheel right now I'm not likely to stop until the front bumper is pinning Duncan to some wall somewhere."

Throwing the keys back to him, I said, "That's why I don't want them either."

"Then let's go."

"What?"

"We're both pissed. Let's surf the wave of anger."

When we went to the Kane estate, Duncan was home – his car was in the driveway. We walked up and pounded on the front door.

When Duncan opened it, Logan shoved him backward and into the house and I shut the door behind me.

"What's going on?" Duncan asked.

"Here's what's going on," I said. "Carrie Bishop said that you and I were in bed together during Shelly Pomroy's party. Care to fill me in on the details?"

"Huh?"

Logan stepped up until his and Duncan's noses were practically touching. Coldly, he said, "Answer the question."

"Well, then, no. I don't want to give you the details."

"Wrong answer." And then Logan hit Duncan in the face, knocking him down. When he stood up his nose was starting to bleed. He wiped it off on his sleeve.

"Dude, what the hell?" Duncan said as he stood up.

"Tell us," Logan said. "Tell us how you raped Veronica."

"I did what?" Duncan said, at the same time another voice said, "He did what?"

I looked up. Oh, hell . . .

Meg.

When she saw Duncan's nose, she ran to get some paper towels, came over, handed them to Duncan and stood behind him. "Veronica? What's Logan talking about?"

I really didn't want to get her involved in this. She was too nice, too good a person.

Too late now.

"Duncan," I said. "Carrie Bishop said she walked into the guest bedroom and you were naked and taking off my underwear."

"Did you ever think she might be lying to you?" Meg said loyally.

Actually, I hadn't thought of that. But while she might want to hurt me, she had no reason to hurt Duncan or Meg.

Duncan said, "She's not." He then looked into my eyed. "But I didn't rape you. I wouldn't. I, I thought we had some unspoken rule like we were never going to talk about it." He threw up his hands. "But now I'm a rapist and a murderer."

"You're not a murderer. We think someone else killed Lilly," I said distractedly, looking at Logan for confirmation.

"No. You're not. You're only a rapist."

"I didn't rape her!" Duncan yelled. Then, looking at me. "It was consensual."

"It can't be consensual if I don't remember it," I said.

That brought him up short. "You what?"

"Somebody drugged me," I said. "I remember passing out by the pool and waking up in the guest bedroom. Everything between that," I snapped my fingers, "zilch."

Duncan looked at Meg. "Please – I don't want you to hear this."

I added, "Yes, Meg. This isn't something you should have to deal with."

"My boyfriend and a good friend of mine are arguing about whether he raped her. I think this is something I want to deal with." There was a steel in her voice I'd never heard before.

After looking around the room, Duncan said, "I swear to God, Veronica. It was consensual." He described what had happened from his point of view. He'd come into the guest bedroom and seen me there. He woke me up and I put my arms around him, telling him I'd missed him, and that that's when it started."

"You had no idea I was completely out of it?"

"How could I have," he said, anguished.

"Then, dude," Logan said. "Why the hell did you abandon her the next morning?"

"Exactly. If it was as tender and loving as you say it was, why did I wake up by myself looking for my underwear? If what you did wasn't wrong, why did you leave?"

"Because I did do something wrong."

"What?" He didn't answer. "What about that is so wrong?"

"Because you're my sister!" he screamed. "And I knew it! Even after my mother told me, I tried to cut you out of my life. I loved you! I tried not to, but it wouldn't go away!"

Meg looked like she wanted to run from the room, but didn't. She was a lot stronger than I'd ever given her credit for.

I began to cry. Logan came over, put his arms around me, and said, "She's your sister?"

"Her mother. My father. They had an affair. They'd been having one for years," Duncan said. "Mom told me about it and that's when I broke it off with you. I couldn't even face you! And then – and then after she said you were my sister, I –"

"Your mother told you what?" came a voice from behind me.

I turned around.

Jake Kane.