Disclaimers - don't own them... just bend them to my twisted desire.
Present Day:
Leo breathed out heavily as he looked over his assignment notes. This was turning into a nightmare of a case for the detective.
"Look at you, the deputy's all grown-up." a sarcastic voice came from the doorway. Looking up Leo saw a face he hand't seen in years.
"Thank you for coming in, please have a seat." Leo pointed to the chair across from him.
"You act as if I had a choice Leo, not the way I want my day." Veronica Echolls replied as she set down in the chair.
"So I take it I'm a suspect… from what Meg and Dick told me you're questioning us all from that group of eight." Veronica wondered, she wore a wry smile.
"Well… the thing is…" Leo stammered a little as he looked down.
"Give me some credit Leo… I have a one teenage son that just got his license, and another that is a freshman and a pre-teen daughter, I'm a walking-talking lie detector nowadays." Veronica pointed out and her voice went a little flat.
"Did you kill him?" Leo just came out with it, not really wanting to know the answer.
"No, but believe me there's times I wanted to… there was times we all wanted to." Veronica said matter-of-factly.
"You used to be in love with him." Leo swallowed, it had to be said.
"I used to have long blonde hair and listened to Britney Spears, things change." Veronica was sarcastic and unemotional.
"Okay, tell me about the next time you all were together after Jake Kane's funeral." Leo said and Veronica nodded her head before starting.
Three Years Later:
The sound of clinking glass was heard as the group plus several extras set around a large table in a spacious dining room.
"I would like to make a toast, more like a thank you…" Cassidy said as he stood up from his chair and raised his glass of orange juice.
"Not only have Logan and Veronica let me and Ali have our wedding here, but you guys have thrown us this wonderful pos-wedding brunch… thank you, we love you both." Cassidy smiled down at the pretty red-head sitting next to him.
"You know we'd do anything for our little 'Beaver'." Logan teased with a smirk. It was the first time in years anyone had called him Beaver.
"Who's Beaver, dad?" seventeen year old Denny Casablancas wondered who they were talking about.
"It was my nickname back in high school, one that I out grew." Cassidy gave Logan a warning stare but he was smiling at the same time.
"Welcome officially Ali to our group of misfits." Veronica said with a laugh as she sipped on her juice.
"Cause we're the biggest group of oddballs to come out of Neptune." Veronica added and everyone laughing, knowing she was right.
"This Ali coming from the chief oddball herself." Logan teased before dropping a kiss on Veronica's cheek.
"My husband the sweet talker everyone… you know you wouldn't believe it but back in the day me and Logan weren't on the best of terms." Veronica had a smile as she spoke.
"You know I would plant bongs in his locker and he would retaliate by taking a crowbar to my headlights, fun times." if she hadn't said it in such a light tone it would have sounded pretty bad. It was nice that they could laugh at it now.
"So what happened to make you two hate each other?" Ali, obviously hadn't heard the story before. She missed Cassidy cringe when she asked it.
"It's okay Cassidy… seventeen years ago my best friend… Logan's girlfriend… and Duncan's sister was killed, we all dealt with it differently. Me and Logan dealt with it by lashing out at each other." Veronica said matter-of-factly before standing and starting to clear the dishes away.
"So when did it all change?" Ali seemed genuinely interested on how they went from enemies to thirteen years of marriage and three kids.
"Camelot…"
"A hotel lobby…" they answered differently at the same time. They confused everyone including themselves.
"What are you talking about babe?" Logan wondered looking down at Veronica with a questioning smile plastered on his face.
"Our first kiss… correction our first earth-shattering kiss, you?" Veronica said with a smile as she looked up at him. They both missed Duncan's eye roll as he watched them.
"The lobby of the Sunset Regent…" realization set in as Veronica remembered the night she held him through his tears.
"Oh yeah… that was an eventful evening." Veronica smiled before Logan bent down lightly brushing his lips over hers.
"It was the night I realized my mom was really dead. Veronica was there for me, when we were still technically 'lashing-out'." Logan answered their questioning stares as he slipped an arm around her slim waist.
"Killed, you make it sound as if it was some kind of accident." Duncan blurt out as he stood up. Meg ushered the kids out of the room before anymore words were said.
"She was brutally murdered by your father. I have no sister cause your father killed her." Duncan pointed at Logan. Anger was building up as he glared at the happy couple.
"Yeah and my mom left and started drinking cause Celeste was blackmailing her… don't blame the children for their parents' transgressions Duncan, cause you're parents were no saints." Veronica pointed out with a cold voice.
"You want to throw blame… Lil might not have acted the way she acted if your parents loved her and treated her like they did their precious little Duncan… truth is Duncan, you're more flawed then Lilly ever was." Veronica added angrily before quickly leaving the room.
Veronica set on her and Logan's bed and let the tears fall. the sad truth was she hadn't thought about Lilly in so long.
"I think you made Duncan cry." a teasing voice came from the bedroom door. She gave a weak smile as Logan came in and shut the door.
"He just makes me so angry… he so not the guy were went to high school with or were friends with." Veronica added as Logan took a seat next to her.
"Babe he has issues, major ones and we all know it." Logan placed his hand on her knee and squeezed it gently.
"Are you defending him?" Veronica was stunned as she stood up from their bed.
"No but I see his point… if someone shot your dad would you feel comfortable around his family?" Logan pointed out.
"I sure as heck wouldn't blame a psychopath's son for his fathers faults… I married you and your father tried to kill me…" Veronica was angry as she went for the door. A strong hand pulled her back before she chould open it. He held her and the tears came flooding out, when did life get so complicated?
Dick walked into the kitchen and saw a sight he never thought he'd see - Madison Sinclair being very maternal with her two in half year old daughter, Larkin.
"How's our favorite patient?" Dick put a smile on his face and walked over to them.
"Still has the sniffles, but getting better." Madison stepped back so Dick could look the little girl over. He had been Larkin's doctor ever since she was in Madison's stomach… he was also the only other person who knew who Larkin's father was.
"Have you talked to him lately about her I mean?" Dick asked nonchalantly as he washed and dried his hands.
"It makes no differnce… he has never been there for Jesse and he won't be there for Larkin." Madison picked the little girl up and left… Dick watched, anger flashing across his features.
Dick found Duncan on the beach, flirting with some beach bimbo who was more plastic then Barbie.
"Do you have a disability that makes it physically impossible for you take care of your responsibilities or is it that you just don't have any balls?" Dick's voice was harsh and the girl quickly left them alone.
"You have two of the most incredible daughters… Jesse has turned into an amazing young woman, no thanks to you… and Larkin is so sweet." Dick's voice softened a little when he talked about the girls he had grown to love.
"You had better do something to make sure Larkin is taken care of or I'm taking you and you're precious Kane Software down… don't think I won't do it." Dick threatened before turning and going back toward the direction he came from.
'Kane Software fronted the money for 'Glitzz' a new fashion magazine owned and operated by Madison…
Duncan remained his distant and on a verge of breakdown self…
Wallace came back to LA where he and Meg promptly started dating… Meg became the youngest partner at her at 'Browne-Hale& Manning'. putting her on every major business and law related magazine across the nation…
Dick surprised everyone when he took a year off and went to help out in third-world countries helping the less fortunate…
Cassidy adjusted to married life, although he would never admit it Ali saved him from himself…
Logan started writing a collection of stories about a young spunky detective, modeled after what he called his favorite 'detective'… it was a top-seller and I… I opened my own photography gallery… which all kept us busy, that and three kids…'
TBC - you'll find out the victim next chapter... Logan or Duncan... things that make you hmmm?