A/N : I think I'm losing some readers because the baby is Duncan's and not Logan's. Please have faith in me, the story will be LoVe, I promise!

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 2 - You're Going To Be Upset

The scariest thing Veronica had to face ought to have been her trip to see the doctor. After all, that would be the final confirmation of her downfall, that would prove without a shadow of a doubt that she'd got herself into some serious trouble. Actually, she had been remarkably calm on the journey there and even at the Doctor's office itself.

Nerves had hit a little when they'd met Lynn Echolls in the street outside. She was a nice woman and had been through so much with her husband and son, neither Keith nor Veronica would dream of blanking her for the sake of embarrassment. The Sheriff had asked her how she was doing, to which she had given some vague reply, before checking Veronica was okay. Since they were outside the Doctor's office, and she apparently looked 'awfully pale', Lynn was at once concerned for the girls health. Not wishing to lie, but equally less eager to share the unhappy truth in the middle of the street for all to here, Keith just smiled and waved away the concern.

'Girl troubles, you now how it is, probably better than I do in fact!' he'd said with a smile.

Lynn had nodded in a friendly understanding and wished her son's friend well as she continued on down the street and the Mars family, such as it was these days, headed on in to to see the Doctor.

Within a half hour they were back on the sidewalk, Veronica looking much worse than when she went in, and Keith trying to act like he wasn't terribly disappointed that the outcome hadn't been different. He didn't want his daughter to be stuck with a baby at sixteen, and they both knew it, but what was done, was done. They all had to deal with the consequences.

It was those consequences that had got Veronica so freaked out. Not the pregnancy part, or the labour part, not even the being a mother so young with no life to speak of. From the moment the Doctor confirmed her condition to this moment, all she'd been doing was worry about the Kanes, and what their reaction was going to be to her shocking news.

They would arrive in less than ten minutes, so Veronica's watch told her. Duncan, with his father, Jake, and mother, Celeste, the last of which was the greatest source of the young blondes panic. Whilst Keith had assured his daughter he would not allow anyone to bully her or make this her fault alone, Veronica knew Celeste would not take this lying down. She would find a way to make her son innocent and free from guilt, with lies if she had to. She'd been just the same when Lilly died. In spite of the evidence to the contrary she maintained that Aaron Echolls had taken advantage of her precious baby girl, and whilst all would agree Logan's father was a monster, they also knew of Miss Kane's reputation for being boy crazy.

Celeste herself had spent many a long hour berating her daughter for her wild behaviour and even slutty ways. Still, when blame was to be apportioned to a family, it was never to be the Kanes, Celeste simply wouldn't hear of it, even if she knew the truth and admitted it behind closed doors. In this case, Veronica knew she would be the slut and the whore. The nasty girl who was trying to ruin Duncan's life by trapping him to staying with her. She would be the devil incarnate in Celeste's eyes, and no amount of yelling or arguing would ever change that.

"Honey, the Kanes are here" Keith told his daughter as he tapped on her bedroom door, and taking the deepest breath of her life Veronica got up from her bed and headed out into the living room.

She was met by one genuine smile from her boyfriend, and two half-hearted attempts from the man who might've been her father once and the woman who hated her above all others. At least Duncan's presence should have made her feel better, but right now, Veronica had to confess to herself at least, it did not. She just wanted to run away from here, go and hide in a corner far far away and cry til the world went away. Unfortunately, that wasn't possible, and so she must be the grown-up she'd promised her father she would be and face the Kane family with the news she knew they would hate to have to hear. Where to begin, she wasn't sure, and where this would end was something she hardly dared contemplate as she walked further into the room and shared the couch with her boyfriend, Jake and Celeste having taken the two armchairs. Keith pulled over a stool from the kitchen counter and propped himself on it, taking a breath and starting what was effectively a family meeting. They were technically going to be one family, even if they were two now, though the very thought of that made Veronica's insides turn over in the most disconcerting way.

"Okay, so I guess there's no point in beating around the bush" Keith sighed, "Veronica and I have something that we believe you all should be told about" he explained.

Duncan looked at his girlfriend and gave her his best smile, in spite of the fact his nerves were rattled by this whole situation. This kind of family announcement rarely meant anything good, and yet there was little that could be worse than what they'd all already gone through - Lilly's death, Lianne's departure, both their young lives had been torn apart and nothing could make things any harder, he was sure of it. He hadn't banked on what was coming next, unlike his mother.

"Oh my God" she said suddenly, shooting daggers from her eyes at a shaking Veronica, "Please tell me you're not pregnant" she said with such disgust that the little blonde became equal parts angry and so upset, the combination threatened to make her burst with pent-up emotion and frustration.

"Celeste, nobody said..." Jake began, only to be cut off by Veronica herself.

"I am" she said sharply, silencing the room easily, her eyes passing over each person and landing finally on Duncan, "I am pregnant" she told him more softly now as she turned to face him, tears filling her eyes.

"Wow" was all her boyfriend seemed able to say for quite some time as the cogs in his brain tried to catch up with the words his ears had just taken in.

Veronica was pregnant, a minor miracle since they'd only actually made love twice, and both times they'd been careful. Of course he wasn't so naive he didn't understand that sometimes condoms didn't work, but the last thing he'd expected to hear today was this. Clearly his mother had anticipated the news and was less than thrilled, whilst Jake just looked complete astonished. All Duncan could think at first was how much of a good thing it was that Veronica's parentage had long since been confirmed, or this could have been a much more dire situation. Unfortunately, the thought directly following this one, which he felt heartily guilty for but could not deny, was that his life was over.

"How did this happen?" his father asked, staring into the blank space before him.

"I think we all know the answer to that question" Keith said gently, knowing that the Kanes were now feeling as overwhelmed as he had yesterday when he'd first heard the shocking news.

"Of course we do" Celeste snapped, looking angrily towards the kids on the couch who were still only looking at each other, wondering what the hell to say or do, "I knew this day would come, when you finally found a way to trap my son!" she spat.

"Hey, Veronica didn't plan any of this" Keith jumped in, "What sixteen year old girl would?" he said with a look as Celeste glanced his way, still clearly angry and upset.

"Duncan?" his girlfriend said softly, blocking out the adults that sat around her, sniping at each other, it was only his opinion she really wanted and needed right now, "Duncan, please say something"

"I don't know..." he started with a vague shake of his head, before turning to look at Veronica and making his eyes focus on hers, "I, I'm not sure what to say, I mean, Veronica, we're sixteen"

"You don't think I know that?" she said tearfully, "But it doesn't make it less true. We are having a baby"

"Not necessarily" Celeste butted in once again, and her husband flashed her an angry look.

"Celeste" he hissed, knowing where she was going with this even if no-one else had realised yet.

"I'm sorry, Jake, but I don't believe even the kids are so naive that they automatically think pregnancy means a baby has to be born" she said, looking to Duncan and Veronica as she spoke, "This can be taken care of, and if it must be at our family's expense then so be it"

Despite being so worried and terrified about this meeting today, Veronica's mood shifted drastically at her boyfriend's mother's words. She could hardly believe what this woman was saying, insinuating that her baby could just be erased, removed, like an annoyance or a problem. Sure, the whole pregnancy thing was a big and had thrown Veronica for a loop, but in all of this, she really hadn't thought about abortion. She could have easily suggested it, she could've gone ahead and done it without her father ever knowing, or at least without it getting as far as the Kanes or anyone else. Instead, the thought of such a thing had barely grazed her mind as it slid through without any real consideration at all. Veronica was only interested in what her life, and her baby's life would be after said child was born. There was never any question of that birth not taking place as far as she was concerned.

"Don't you dare talk about my baby like it's nothing" she snapped at Celeste, not sure where this particular attitude and tough talking tone was coming from, but glad she'd found it nonetheless, "I would never give him or her up, not for you, not for anyone"

"Its not a him or her, it's a thing" Celeste snapped back at her, "A couple of weeks isn't a baby..."

"Try a couple of months" Keith cut in, catching everyone's attention, "As it is, Veronica didn't realise anything was wrong until recently, but the Doctor told us today that she's approximately ten weeks into her pregnancy.

"My God" Jake gasped, as he realised that whatever Celeste's suggestion might've been and with whatever reaction it was met, it was all a moot point now.

There would be a moral and ethical issue even now if abortion was to be mentioned. Before long it would become illegal anyway. What it came down to was this; Veronica Mars was having a child, and they were all going to have to get used to it and deal with it the best they could.

"Maybe, we should hear what Duncan thinks about this" Keith suggested, "What do you say, son? Anything you want to say or ask?" he checked, being the most sensible parent here apparently and considering the kids feelings before all others.

He knew what Veronica felt about all this, more or less anyway, after having some time to talk to her about it. Poor Duncan was unlikely to get a fair and level-headed conversation out of either of his parents at this juncture, and so Keith was determined to be helpful and let the boy have his opinion now.

"I don't know" was all the supposedly intelligent young man could find to say as he stared into space looking dumb-struck.

"You don't know what, Duncan?" Veronica asked him, sounding more angry than upset at this point, "You don't know if you're happy about this? You don't know if your Mom is right to tell me I should abort my baby?"

"I just don't know, Veronica" he repeated, looking so lost as he glanced between her and his parents.

To say he was happy to hear he would be a father by the time he turned seventeen would be a complete lie. On the other hand, he didn't like the idea of Veronica having to go through an abortion, even if that was an option. The relationship between the two of them really hadn't been that strong lately, and in all honesty he'd been starting to wonder if they even had a future, despite the fact that he knew he still cared a lot for the blonde. She was supposed to be his world and he was supposed to be hers, still the idea of being forever tied to her and from such a young age was frightening as hell for the boy who's toughest decision prior to this had been cereal or pancakes for breakfast.

"I should have known you'd do your usual thing" Veronica shook her head sadly as she got to her feet.

"And what's my usual thing?" he asked in real confusion, as their parents looked on.

"You stand idly by" she snapped, "You let things happen, you claim you don't know, and you don't seem to care" she yelled, voice cracking with emotion as she waved an arm in a wild gesture.

"This is ridiculous" Celeste insisted as she too stood up now, "You will not blame this all on my son" she said definitely, as Keith fought to stay calm and also rose along with Jake.

"And you will not blame this all on my daughter either" the Sheriff insisted, and the conversation that had started surprisingly reasonably descended into chaos as the adults began talking over each other.

Veronica couldn't stand it, couldn't deal with the yelling and the fighting when it was all pointless. Nothing they said or did could change this situation, and the only thing she could say that might help even a little, well, she could never let that secret out. Seeing a clear way to the door, Veronica decided now was her chance, even if it was only to take the cowards way out for now. Bolting around the Kanes and her own Dad, the little blonde went for the front door, hurrying out into the street and then running so fast her legs felt like they would fall off after just a few feet. Still, she kept running, not knowing where she was going to or what would happen next, only knowing for sure that she couldn't stay in that house with those people. They didn't understand, and right now she couldn't think of anyone around here that would, so she just kept running.

To Be Continued...