A/N: Oh wow! Getting so many responses that are feeding me! I wrote chapter 2-6 in one day and in one sitting. :D thanks so damned much for the feedback. I hope you love this darker tale I'm weaving. Perhaps it is too dark, but it will be a great ride. So what is to come? Its a different type of situation from what I have written before. Yes, I know its intense! There is a little thing that will drastically change our 'bitter' hero very shortly (and maybe slow us down for a few chapters), however, it will be the catalyst for her growth also. I like strong women. I love how women stay tough and allow themselves a little weakness and not stagnation in the story. I hate when they lose sight of who they are for men though, so I won't be doing that. Logan and Brent and even Maria will all have equal feelings. Veronica is finding herself in the face of the tortures she's gone through. It makes her a beautiful intoxicating mix. It has to make sense for you to feel her evolve and make the choices she does. It will end part one, and go into the next part soon.

We will start that intense burn between Logan and Veronica with this new event as it shapes her. They will make realizations, some of which Logan has already started to make. Logan is about to embark on some painful times also. Where is Wallace? Coming soon. Hang tight Mac!

I promise not to forget the plot in the face of that intensity and changes. We got a 'Ring of sick bastards that needs to come down. Can she do it, how will she do it, and what rolls will Mac, Weevil and Wallace have? But what happens after the dust settles-or will it settle? There are obstacles and learning to love and with who to share that love with: Jasmine Thompson-say something cover inspired that part of my story that is a turning point in part two. I'm guessing at least 4-5 chapters out, but the seeds are going to start getting planted. We also have Brent, and Maria who will influence her a great deal. Part three is the culmination to everything in where Veronica decides she wants to go. You will get to see what she was up to the past two years, and how she self actualizes her past with her current wants and needs.

I want you to understand and feel her emotions and her rationale. I want you to fear like she fears, because these events, and what is to come, would never leave a person the same. Veronica is still Veronica though. I was listening to Evanescence-my last breath... just to give you an idea. We saw Veronica as her fathers daughter the PI, but I thought it was cute watching her sing 'I'm gonna getchya' from the show and what that could mean in an alternate universe (AU). These will tie together. Music and PI work.

That's the coming phase. We learn what LA is/means. I love strong Veronica, but this is just the start of her journey. Sometimes at our weakest, we find strength. We find who we are through adversity and facing our fears. And sometimes, great things come from great pain. Stay tuned and watch Veronica as she changes lives!

Shout out to Maria Brinks from In this Moment and Brent Smith from Shinedown

Inspiration for this chapter: In This Moment-Sick Like Me

Warning **if you are tender to sexual assault, it is mentioned in this chapter vaguely.***

Destiny rocks

Ch. 6

Logan moved carefully blocking Mac inside his room. When Mac leapt forward, he expected her to attempt to hurt him, but she only locked the door and stared him down with unusual intensity. Really, Logan he told himself once nothing horrible happened. He did a once over and noticed she must have starved in her hiding. Then she surprised him.

She grunted, grabbed his chin, and looked at his nose. "I'm getting real sick and tired of fixing people up in this frickin town." She turned his face side to side, and then let go to dig in her bag. "Only in Neptune," she added with added disgust, but that, she said to herself.

"I've got my own stuff-thanks," he motioned her to his bathroom. "OK, fine." he added when she made no move to help. "It's just life. People like you think we have it all, right? So how does it look now?"

She sat back on her heals and gave him her most annoyed look. "I forgot. You can take care of it yourself, right?" Mac rolled her eyes, sick of his rich boy attitude, "I suppose this is like you trying to explain why you are such a dick?" Then she gave him a skeptical look.

"I have been worse," he lashed out at her. Tension ran high, and he wasn't in the mood tonight. He went into the bathroom and grabbed tissue.

Equally moved, Mac spit out, "that worked so well for Veronica." She gave no question to the argument.

Logan's eyes widened slightly, but he remained quiet as she shook with rage. He could almost feel the waves of it coming off of her. "You going to blow up, or something?" He looked er up and down, but not with distaste or interest.

"That fucker," she said vehemently. "That explains a whole lot. How many are you?"

He pushed her away, toward the bed and pointed at her as she walked to the bathroom and got more tissues, "why are you here and what is all that on my computer!" He looked back toward the door worried his parents would catch him with a girl in the room. "If my parents catch you here…" he held a tissue to his nose while he stared at her.

"The whole," she waved her hands up and down his height, "jackass front won't work here, Logan. It's code. I'm trying to upload proof," she paused and looked at him carefully. Then she studied her phone.

"What proof?" Logan charged, his voice on edge. His eyes glanced down at her phone. "Fuck, tell me you didn't." He grabbed at it and she jumped back protecting it with one shoulder slightly back.

"Turn it on, and the cops will come. It's already uploaded to the cloud," Mac said in a shaken voice. Logan far outweighed her and she was already aware what rich people did when they wanted to get rid of their problems.

"You what," he said as his hands fisted together at his sides. He cared less about his father, but his mother had been on edge lately.

"I did. Why would I tell you anything, Echolls? You were horrible to her. And you took video of me and Weevil already. Yeah, I found it."

"You are in my house and a wanted woman," he said taking out his own phone and pointing it at her as he spoke.

Mac raised her phone. "Want to wager against me?"

Logan looked from her to her phone guessing if he could erase it in time, but Mac was faster.

"Too slow, you psychotic jackass. That's what she liked to call you-and it is so true. Guess it runs in the family."

"You sound like Veronica," he said and snorted in a dismissive manner. He grabbed his nose as the blood ran over his mouth. "Fuckin' A," Logan hissed and began to pace again.

Mac tossed him another shirt and gave him a disgusted sound, "it's on the cloud motherfucker. Don't even try to take this or touch me and my phone. I encrypt my shit."

He grunted, "How much do you want?" Mac watched his shoulders sag and anger rose inside her gut.

She also watched him sit and hold his head upward, trying desperately not to hit him harder than he already had been. Pity...Logan...same sentence...nah, she thought to herself. He was supposed to angle his head downward.

Her face became indignant when she realized what he was asking her, "What I want?" she blew out a breath, "Wow, think you can just toss money at me? As if none of this was real?"

He shrugged, "why are you here uploading crap if you don't want something?" We widened his hands in a 'what the hell else would it be' manner, and blood gushed down his face.

"It's not crap, its proof. I told you." She defended and pointed at him, "It's just like your type to think everything is about money. Proof, Logan. You know, in case they kill me. Like he used and tortured Veronica? Or is that all nothing to you? Haven't you noticed, I've been on the run?" She made quoted marks with her fingers, "a wanted woman. Do you think I have time for this?"

"Yeah, I noticed, OK? Calm your tits." He gave her a dumb look, but purposefully pushed her buttons. "You shouldn't try killing people, Mac. Then there is no need to run."

"I didn't. I went there to get Veronica out. It was only a matter of time before he spun lies about her and she ended up dead. You know most of us normal folk can't buy our freedom. Weevil…he must have shot him."

"You could say that," Logan began as if that were the silliest expression he'd ever heard. "Or he rearranged his head, shot off his dick, and let him bleed out." His eyes widened that she hadn't heard. "You do watch TV, right? You were there. It's in that proof?"

"And where would I watch t.v. at?" Mac placed her hands on her hips. When he stared at her in disbelief, she let her arms fall and some of the anger drained away. "What is it?"

"I don't know! I'm not Sherlock Holmes like you guys, alright? He did some bad shit."

"Keep it down," she hissed. Mac walked quickly to the window, & carefully looked out of the window to make sure no one was there. "Your mom drinks a ton."

Logan rolled his eyes at her, "Yeah well, she lives with him, she stays with him…"

Despite the lack of care in his tone, Mac stopped looking out to study him. "She doesn't leave and she doesn't protect you either."

"How can she?" he said angered once again. "my mom is like five pounds," his tone dwindled, "my dad does damage. Not to girls, but you never know."

Mac looked him over, "just you then?"

"She was eighteen," Logan muttered having changed the subject throwing Mac for a loop. Then she realized he meant Veronica. He cracked his neck readying himself for an argument. "I guess it makes sense then."

Mac understood, and nodded, "He had powerful allies who will kill to keep their secrets." She crossed her arms, "there is no freedom in a world like that. Not for most of us. I know there is a porn ring, snuff films, and god knows what else."

Logan considered the little brunette. Mac had always been average, pretty filled out if not a little chubby, and never stood out to him. Now she was bone thin, looked ragged, and entirely sure of herself. Her blue eyes were alive with rage. Her hair looked oily and a little matted though.

Logan watched her for a moment longer and then asked her, "What happened up there?"

"He raped her… and let the others…not in the usual way in case someone noticed….but she was drugged-just not enough," Mac started. She began to lose it as tears fell over her cheeks.

"Not in the usual way?" Logan stood, and she took two steps back in response. "There is an entire ring of them. Veronica's dad was on to something. Like really, really, on to something."

Logan remembered the news, the rumors, but he wanted to hear it from her. "Explain."

"Oh God," she muttered and shook violently with the image. "She wasn't a slut, Logan. She was the opposite and they knew that when she was at the hospital. They do tests and all that, so maybe he didn't erase that part of the evidence. I guess he was careful to not use the place most commonly used my men…So he used…the other part."

Logan saw red. Pure red, and for once, was thankful Weevil got there first. He'd grown up with Veronica. Fucking Christ, he thought baffled. Immediately, he sat and covered his face with trembling hands. "The things I said to her…"

"She wasn't really 'there' when we found her." Mac also sat for a moment and stared at nothing. "I don't know if she'll come back from that. She won't talk, and we can't get to her."

"Mars made it his deal to stick his nose in thing he shouldn't have!" Logan burst out with. He turned so quickly, Mac jerked in response. His eyes were wild and crazy almost. "What else did he expect?"

"He did it for kids like you! People like you who go unprotected because his dad is …say …rich? It's easy to keep secrets then. You know he was good at that, but she knew who did it. She lost everyone. All of you abandoned her. Even Duncan, Lily, and the way you went after her after that-and since then. You make me sick," She spat. "I could ruin you and not shed a tear over it."

"What do you know about any of that!?" He regarded her for a moment, "So what? You get yourself a video as payback?"

"What do I know? Can you hear yourself? He adopted her just to get back at her dad. He's beaten her every day since. I mean bad shit, Logan." She sniffed, her face reddened from the gush she just split. A strange look crossed his face, but she pressed on. "You can understand what it was like, but he tortured her." She lifted her head and looked up to whatever it was she looked at. "How the hell that girl made it to school and kept her head high is beyond me. You tortured her also. I can still hear her screaming." Mac covered her ears and began to rock back and forth.

Logan just stared at her, knowing what she said was somehow true. Mac had once been passive, smart, and kind of geeky. This girl had seen things. His dad was cruel, so much so, that even half-sister Trina couldn't believe his stories. To think of Veronica enduring worse that way…Damn. Eventually he just gave up trying to tell someone. That wasn't her style. She was all PI, just lik eher dad Keith. "Mac, you can't stay here…"

She straightened up, "I guess I should have expected as much from a rich boy."

Mac grabbed her things, shoved them into her bag, and waited by the door.

"Not like that," he grabbed her arm. She refused to look at him. Logan also stood, abet more carefully, and waved at her as she exited to the hallway. He used his hands to tell her to wait, and ran to the kitchen. He saw his mom passed out in a chair on the deck, and the boat gone.

Gee dad, that didn't take long. No wonder no one came when they had argued, Logan thought with dismay. He was good at leaving, probably to have another conquest added to his bedpost.

As fast as he could, Logan rounded up some food and rushed back to the hallway. "Take the back door," he handed her food.

Mac looked surprised for a second, "That's that then?"

"Don't post the video. Veronica is in a ward, safe."

"She's not safe, Logan. The others are going to try and keep her quiet. Please, do something." She reached for her phone, and started the video aiming it at Logan for measure. He'd thought she kept it off. It wasn't the one he expected, however.

It was horrific what he saw.

When he turned his face away, Mac knew he got the message. "On your computer is everything I had. Make a copy. If I am found dead, you are the only one who knows. Your video will also get exposed. Sorry, but I can't unsee this…" she paused, "My phone has probably been triangulated to here, so make a copy and get rid of the stuff on your computer. A magnet works and you can afford a new one. If some guys show up, act stupid."

With that, she turned and left through the woods and with him staring after her.

It didn't take long for authorities to come looking just as Mac said they would. Logan had just enough time to make cd's, clear his computer, and take the book Mac had forgotten with a Symbol over it. He darted into his car leaving his poor mom to her own devices. He could always claim he was with other people. In fact, that was a great way to hide out. AS he drove, he couldn't help how his fingers drummed on the steering wheel.

There was a wild party not far up the road where he parked his car. Much like he thought Mac had, he'd kept his phone off since arriving in separate cars with his parents. That gave him some leeway if he was questioned.

Mom wanted to spend the afternoon having family time tomorrow, but he'd only agreed for the party. Carefully, Logan made his appearances, and darted outside. Of course, Duncan was here, but not really here. Great now he mixed alcohol with his meds.

It took fifteen minutes before the opportunity presented itself.

When Duncan passed out drunk, he took his keys and drove down the road to survey the house. Of all the luck, he thought dismissively. He knew his friend shouldn't drink with his meds, but he was getting sick of his careless attitude. Sure enough, people were swarming the place. He left a few hand prints in case he had to explicitly say where he was in the house where the party was. Better to get in trouble for being at a party than aiding a wanted woman, Logan told himself.

Logan parked the car.

For just a moment, he let his hands fall on his hair as his head landed on the steering wheel of Duncan car. The last few months had been shit, but Lily being found dead…it did something to him. Add that to his misunderstanding of Veronica's situation, and he felt like shit. Fuck, we'd all been friends just two years ago, he thought bothered. It explained the rapid decline in his friend who he knew had lingering feelings for the girl. Despite the odd breakup, Duncan never spoke of why he'd done it.

He'd blamed her for his and Lily's break up also, and after her parents died, Lily made it her thing to oust her from their clique. We thought she played Duncan, he reminisced. Even before that, Duncan had just ignored her one day and left it at that. What were we supposed to think? Logan chided himself. None of it made any sense. With a sigh, he got out of the car and stared below with both hands in his jean pockets. From the hill, he could see everything below him.

His poor mother hugged herself, but talked with two cops. Logan sighed again wondering what the hell Mac had gotten him into and used the time to contemplate what to do. His video was in with the rest of the ones Mac wanted to use to show the world. She didn't care who got hurt and who it would effect. Hadn't he wondered if Dick would have done something for him also? Whatever, he thought as he saw bits and pieces of what she'd said was true plastered on the screen of that phone.

No matter what Veronica, or her father had done, it didn't justify what he saw. Perhaps people really were that cruel in life. And he was no fan of the Weevil club. Knowing Lily had dated that…guy made him want to puke with rage. Logan shook his head, got back in the car, and returned to the party for Duncan. He needed answers, and needed them fast.

He pulled up farther back than where he'd taken the car. Duncan was still out on the lawn, so he picked him up and had to put some of his nose bleed on his friends' hand. Got to explain away the nose bleed too, for fucks sake. Always covering for dad, he thought as he got back in the car.

Duncan tried to sit up, but everything around him was spinning.

"If you puke, it's your car dude," came Logan's voice from the front.

He laughed despite not really understanding why it was so funny. Then he saw blood on his hand, "what happened?" He tried to raise his head, but a sharp pain caused him to fall back.

"Why are you drinking on pills, man?"

"Shut up, mom," he said. Duncan could feel the front of his flannel shirt flapping against the wind. When he tried to stretch, he realized the back seat was too small.

"Just that. We argued, you punched me, I had to pick up the mess."

"Where we going?"

"To your parents," Logan said again.

Duncan darted up, "wait!"

Logan slammed on the breaks and met his friends' glassy eyes in the rear view mirror. "Why the hell not? I'm tired to watching you waste away!" There was a honk behind them as someone cursed him out as they passed. The light turned yellow, and then red.

"I'm dealing," Was all Logan got. "Who are you to judge me?"

"Not good enough," he griped out. "You've been like this since you split from Veronica. What gives?" Logan pulled the car over, opened his door, and pulled Duncan out and to his feet. "What gives man? I'm your best friend. Where are you anymore?"

Duncan wavered and fought dizziness, "nothing happened."

Logan shook his head and licked his lips, "dude, don't make me kick your ass." He pushed his friend and watched him bounce against the side of the car.

"Dammit Logan!" Duncan roared, "What's your problem?"

"My problem is you," he pushed him again. "If you don't want her why are you always staring at her? Huh?" He pushed him again. "Always defending that slut," he said and ducked as Duncan swung and missed. Now he knew he was getting closer. Duncan tripped a few steps and then turned on him, "why, what is it to you? I've seen the way you used to look at her, man."

Logan blanched, "Why are you being such a douche?" Logan pushed him again. "She's just a piece of ass. You had Meg, till you fucked that up too."

Duncan moved out of the way, "man I've seen how you look at her. Even Lily did. Why do you think she hated her so much at first?"

Logan paused, "What?"

"You fucked how many girls man…"

"I never touched Veronica-" he started and pointed at Duncan.

"You had a thing for her! I knew it when you said it in the limo!" He pushed Logan. "Why do you think she kissed her?"

"Who Lily? Dude that was when she was twelve! I thought they were being funny in the car, not some ulterior motive." Logan pulled his head back, "the limo kiss? Really? That was your sister!"

"She was dating that prick to let you go." Duncan charged him, "It's the way you said it. I know you."

Logan's voice broke at the lack of brotherhood, "I'm your best friend, man. I wouldn't do that-I didn't do that with her. Everyone knew something was up when you broke up with her and kept staring at her. Why bother if you wanted her so bad? Don't blame this on me."

"I know she was my sister and I couldn't stop loving her!" Duncan fell to the ground, clearly drunk off his ass.

Wait, what? Logan backed it up for a moment and shook his hands trying to make sense of it. "Why did you dump her? Obviously you still want that tramp," Logan shot back. His friend must have been pulling things out of his ass to distract him. "Just go and get it over. I'm sure she'd put out for you if you asked!" knowing what he knew, it was harder than shit to say those words.

Duncan slammed the pavement, crying like a jackass, and Logan stopped cold when he said clearer, "I told you. Because she's my sister!"

There were no words to retort that, "Wait. What? Wh-how?"

Duncan panted, placing both hands on the car as he tried to stand. Without fail, he lost the contents of his stomach. "Mom told me and I told Lily. Lily hated her for it…and her dad came snooping through something of my dad's. Look I don't know!" He wept, which was so unlike Duncan, "I want her still," he said sitting back on his knees. "What's wrong with me?" He wailed to Logan.

There was no way that Mr. Kane was Veronica's dad. She was just like Keith! "She's just like her real dad. Someone told you lies." And hey, your sister is dead too. LOgan frowned not sure what to make of Duncan.

"Mom said…"

"Dude, no offense, but you're mom's a huge bitch. Keep up with the rest of us," he said and snapped his fingers. "I lost Lily, too."

Duncan gave up trying to stand and sat against the wheel and covered his face. He really believed it, Logan realized.

He tried to speak, but no words came out. His chest rose and fell as if he'd run a mile, "Did you ever check? Like do a paternity test? Or did you just believe anything that bitch of a mother said. You know Lily hated her." It made more sense now. That's why she didn't want Veronica over and always treated her like trash.

Duncan fell forward again, "she was already tarnished. Lily knew you wanted her. She was pissed, and then she slept with that guy."

"Weevil?" Logan ran a hand through his hair. "I loved Lily, man!" He'd never have changed that. Obviously, she didn't love him the same if she'd believed her mothers lies. Did anyone actually love him?

"She didn't love you the same, man. For Veronica, I think she'd have let go, but when it came to dear perfect dad…she lost it." He shrugged. "You could imagine her delight when you became enraged at her too, then." Duncan just tilted his head from side to side. "She hated dad for it and thought she'd get back at both of you. She assumed, when I broke up with Veronica, that you'd slept together. I never told her why, and it only added to the flames. She thought Veronica was going after us. When mom accused dad openly...she felt betrayed. They are still fighting over it."

"Dude, your mom is sick."

Duncan shrugged, "I don't know. I told her mom had to be lying, and she…she thought I was sick. It didn't work, man. I am sick. I love her still."

Logan wiped his face, shock evident on his face. "Your mom? She's a raving bitch." He'd blamed it all on Veronica, and it was Mrs. Kane's fault. Everything was twisted in lies and it always came back to Mrs. Kane. Things in place that didn't need to happen were happening now. If Lily hadn't been lied to, she'd still be here. I gotta get out of here, Logan decided.

Blue lights flashed as a car rounded the corner. Dammit, Logan thought perturbed. He helped Duncan up, as the cop car came to a stop and the police man approached them cautiously. "What's going on here?"

Logan spoke before Duncan could," he's drunk and I was driving him to his parents." Logan met the officers stare, and a flashlight was placed in his face. He squinted and held a hand up to hold off some of the light, "It's his car, and he had to puke…" he eyed the pile on the ground.

"I see," The officer said. "Mind if I test you?"

Logan shrugged, "Can I get him in the back seat?"

"Get his license," he said. The officer nodded, made whatever call in code he had to, and came back with what Logan assumed was a breathalyzer. He did what the officer said, and it came up zero. Better to get this going. He took Logan's name, and said, "Were you aware that a missing woman was spotted at your Mom's place, Son?"

"No, I was at the party…which I bet my dad will have a fit."

He cop studied him, "what's up with the nose," he waved a pen at Logan.

"Trying to get keys from a drunk is always fun," he mentioned. "We were there a while. My truck's up there still. Is my mom alright?" Stay cool Logan, he warned himself.

"Yeah, she stole some food, but that was it. He's lucky to have a friend like you," the officer said. "What's the kid's name?"

Logan smiled inwardly, "Duncan Kane."

That's all it took to expedite getting out of there.

After the cop was finished and done, there was about fifteen minutes he shot the shit with him until Duncan's dad drove over. Mr. Kane dropped Logan back off to his car. He'd never felt comfortable with the guy, but he was a software genius and his best friends' dad. Could Duncan's assumptions be true?

"Thanks, Son. Duncan has been out of his wits," He told Logan just before he closed the car door.

Logan nodded and entered his car as Mr. Kane drove off. He looked to the right and saw the journal laying there, it had an elegant lettering of LA written on it. Initials maybe? He traced the lettering with a finger wondering where he'd seen this before. After some thought, he shrugged and opened it up. It looked like someone's song book. He made a face, and threw it on the passenger seat. Time to head back and calm Mom, he thought. What else was there to do?

Veronica sat in the white room for what seemed like days, and probably was more like forever. Then the door opened one day, whenever that was, and in came a woman dressed in a black dress with red heels. Her hair was blond, her nails long and perfect, and her eyes said exactly what Veronica new for herself.

Her life had sucked.

"Hello little kitten," she all but purred. She motioned to the nurse to give her a few.

Veronica's eyes slid over to the doctor who watched her interested even still. He told the woman, "She hasn't spoken since she was brought in."

He was trying to break her, but she feigned forgetfulness for all it was worth. She was sure they'd kill her regardless, if she ever left this place.

The woman laughed, playfully yet dangerously. When the door closed, the woman looked over her once more. "I've seen men do this, but that's not why I am here."

Veronica just stared away at another wall.

"I believe you are the girl I was looking for; the one who promised me lyrics?"

Slowly, Veronica's gaze traveled over the woman again, her cheeks turning a shade of pink.

"Veronica. More like," she paused and noticed the camera, "We have our stage names. You look a little younger than I expected. Those are powerful words and poems for someone so young. My name is Maria and I am here to get you out of this hell hole."

Veronica motioned with her eyes. And then she shook not wanting to leave. Leaving meant death.

"I don't know you," she said with words, her eyes darted between the camera Maria blocked, and the door.

"You are a fan, no?" Whoever Maria was, she was either really stupid or caught on quickly. Veronica was unsure.

So she shrugged. "I don't remember."

"Awe," the woman purred. "I know little kitten. Everything is going to be OK. I promise," she said with her teeth that reminded Veronica of a wolf…

Veronica shivered with both delight and terror. She'd had a thing for metal since…well since hell froze over in her life. This was her Idol, someone she loved to scream to when she had so few moments to do so.

Please don't take me, she silently begged. But the woman was not telepathic, and Veronica wondered just how much worse life was about to get.