Author's Note: Due to confusion expressed in the reviews I thought I'd explain the thought process behind the piece before this. In that universe Lilly is never killed and Veronica never goes to the end of the year party alone, but instead has the back up of most of the 09ers who look out for her because she is the most popular girl in school's best friend (so even if Lilly is drunk out of her mind and Logan is off with her or someone else, someone would still make sure she gets home alright). Because of this she more or less remains the same innocent, unjaded person she was before Lilly's death, and therefore never has a reason to cut off her hair or don the combat boots of the Veronica we know and love. Sometime during the year we never get to see she and Logan hook up, perhaps spurred on by the mutual rejection of their significant others who breakup with them for the same reasons we see in the show (Duncan for the half-sister scare, Lilly for the Yolanda kiss). Then in my imagination, Lilly goes to Veronica in tears one day saying Aaron has a tape of her she needs to get back- possibly even lying and saying the tape is just of her and Logan, or possibly just remaining vague. Either way Veronica finds the tapes, gets trapped in the refrigerator and is burned/suffocated to death (perhaps Keith is off somewhere with Lianne, trying to get her to stop drinking? It doesn't really matter). Lilly, haunted by Veronica's death and by her belief that it was all her fault, ceases to be the Lilly we know and love (and/or hate) and the end of the story- which is probably shorter than this author's note, sorry- is supposed to end with the impression that Lilly is going to cut off her hair and change her clothes, and essentially start over much like Veronica had to do on the show. I am sorry that I apparently didn't do as good a job as I thought getting this across, but I hope it clears up any and all confusion you had left, and I hope you can manage to find some enjoyment in the twist. Also Logan's "Veronica, Lilly, Dad" is supposed to be like "Veronica (is why I look like crap- today would have been our 1 year anniversary), Lilly (you- who I am talking to), and then a giant pause before saying "Dad" because it's been discovered he was the one who killed Veronica.

Thank you for any and all reviews! Sorry again for the confusion, and here is a completely unrelated piece I wrote (and never particularly liked enough to post) that takes place as an alternative to the season 1 ending. I figure if I post it here I can get away with an explanation for the 1st story that doesn't totally dominate the entire page and still not get my account suspended for posting a new 'chapter' without any story. Without further ado:

The 5 Stages of Grief

People always ask them, separately, what the first thing was each of them thought, and though most of the time it comes from people he won't answer, every once in a while he shares his side of the story:

Denial

She's not really here, is the very first thing he thought.

Then she can't be here.

Then maybe this is all a dream, I hope this is all a dream.

Anger

So God really exists, huh? And suicide's really a mortal sin? But who knows what would have happened had Weevil and them not shown up? He didn't actually jump!

And one girlfriend was murdered, and the next accused him of doing it! He grew up with a father who beat him, and a mother who drank until she killed herself, and this was what he got at the end of it!

Fucking hell.

Who'd have thought death'd be more unfair than life is?

Bargaining

She can't be dead. Holy fucking Christ, she can not be dead.

But then why does she look dead?

WHY IS EVERYTHING SO FREAKIN" BRIGHT!

Maybe this is heaven?

Maybe she is like, some creepy sex angel who he can start a pretend-life with looking like Veronica, because that is what heaven is like and that is God's way of dealing with unrequited love?

But then why would she look, look…like that.

Like dead.

Oh God. Oh God. OhGodOhGodOhGod.

Can they switch places?

Is it too late?

Ohfuckohfuckohfuckohfuckohfuck.

Can't they pretty please switch places?

Depression

So what happened? His father thought it would suit him to kill all the girls he's seen his son with?

Oh Christ.

If Kendall suddenly shows up, he is SO going to kill himself.

Well. More than he already has, that is.

Acceptance

Well, if she really is here, and this isn't some sort of psychological hell where he's forced to see everyone he's cared about, then he might as well find out what happened.

He walked into the light (of their hospital room).

"Veronica?"