Disclaimer: Oh Rob Thomas, that you would only let me... what has thou done CW? But seriously, I own nothing.

A/N: Okay thank you for all the reviews- I mean from the bottom of my heart and all the hours I think of how exactly I am going to write the next chapter and not have it completely suck- THANKS! Sidenote though- my job, which I do love, is in full swing right now and my hours of writing are slowly dwindling. I will try to update as soon as I can so please be patient with me and keep the reviews coming or other notes of interest. Any other brilliant VM stories I must read let me know. No better way to spend time than with good fic!

Grant House

I sat at the designer kitchen table with my American Citizenship book open. Not that I needed to actually read this book or study for this class. My family is American Citizenship. Really. I can say the Pledge of Allegiance in four different languages well and two other languages sort of well. This class was a complete waste but as was our assignment we actually had to read the chapter and develop questions based on the chapter reading. As I was scanning Chapters 5 and 6 and writing asinine questions that I could've answered, my Dad walked in.

He set his briefcase in the designated cabinet and loosened his tie. I looked at my Dad. I didn't see much of him these days. He was a very busy man being the sole bread winner for our old money family. To describe him…he looked like a slightly older version of Richard Gere. I had several friends in NY who believed my Dad to be a hottie of sorts.

Can I say ewww?

Dad was good at his job. I loved him as an attorney. He was on his game in the courtroom and his reputation was earned by his merit alone. He paid to be where he was. Not like he was an absentee father but when I was younger and he wasn't so high on the food chain we were closer. He and I had a wonderful relationship but as I got older, he got promoted, and then the whole adoption thing- our relationship was strained when working under normal circumstances.

I took a long sip of my Vanilla Frappacino and continued to work. To my utter amazement, my Dad pulled up a chair beside me and gave me his patented "We-Need-To-Talk-Look" with a very intense stare.

Great, I thought. What have I done now? I looked back at him, matching him stare for stare.

"January…"

"Yes, Dad…"

"I heard a rumor in the office today."

"And what rumor would that be?"

"I was informed that my daughter was working for Keith Mars and his investigation business."

I pointed my pencil at him, trying to be glib. "You know Dad you shouldn't believe everything you hear. Didn't you ever play that game "Telephone?" See how that ended up…"

"January Grant."

"Fine, fine. Yes, I am helping Keith Mars and Keith Mars is helping me."

"With the Cheerleading Kidnapping case?"

I shouldn't be at all surprised that my Dad had heard of the case. The judicial system was a wonderful gossip arena for the happenings of the city. "Yes Dad with the case. I am writing an article for the newspaper."

"I thought we had this discussion the last time you involved yourself with case."

"No, we didn't discuss anything. You yelled. I listened. Mom yelled. I listened. You threatened and I patronized you. The last involvement in the case earned me an internship at the Times. This case could earn me a scholarship and a chance to be editor. Do you really think I am going to pass this up?"

"January let it go. The Sheriff's department is covering the case. Keith Mars was taken off of it and probably for good reason."

Oh Lord, here we go. My grandmother, my Dad's mom, was a detective for the NYPD. She also wrote occasionally, when she was retired, for the Times on the crime beat. My Dad's older brother was also a detective. His younger brother worked in criminal forensics. His sister was a beat cop for the D.C. police. Officers of the Law and Private Investigators do not get along. There is little to no respect between either group.

My family was a little dismayed in eighth grade on hero day when I did my report on Keith Mars and his ability to solve cases even after being run out of the Sheriff's department, twice. How could I betray the family and pay homage to a P.I.?

Because the P.I. was good at his job. Better than several detectives I had met when I became involved in the last case. My Dad still felt as his family that P.I.s mucked up cases, got in the way, and were only it for the money. I guess I should've known my Dad wasn't converting to my way of thinking anytime soon and would be highly displeased to learn of my "working" for Keith.

"Dad, Keith Mars was pulled off the case because Kane Corporation threw hundreds of dollars in the air to have it done. Where is the justice in that? Next, you know he's my hero. You know working with him is a dream of mine. I am being careful and Keith will only tell me so much; so he's making sure I'm careful. And I promise you, this time I will try to not to land in the middle of it or get arrested or offend numerous persons of whom you know."

"It's a little late for that." He mumbled; obviously referring to the disastrous dinner.

"Dad…" I sighed.

"January please…"

"Careful Dad. I will be careful. Scouts' honor."

"You got thrown out of the Scouts…"

"Oh that's right. Fine then, pull out the Bible and I'll take the oath!"

"January…"

"I promise Dad."

He gave me his I-Don't-Really-Believe-You-But-That-Won't-Stop-You-Look. "Alright."

"Speaking of the case…any gossip worth noting flying about the court?"

"None other than they are completely stuck and as you and I are both aware the window of time for finding these girls alive is long passed."

"What about the supposed fifth one from Pan?"

"Not a kidnapping. Just a runaway teen. They found her in Mexico with her boyfriend yesterday."

"One missing rah-rah from Pan and three from Neptune and all with a piece of jewelry found in the car. Dad, you worked a few of the serial murder cases- does this sound like the M.O. of one?"

He paused and thought. "Possibly and it wouldn't be totally bizarre for Neptune to be harboring one or two but these girls weren't forced. They knew their attacker. No broken glass or blood; it's clean and perfect."

This wasn't good news. If all four girls knew their attacker then finding the odd variable would be harder. Dad was right too. The chances of finding these girls alive was very unlikely and the way the case was moving the chances grew dimmer each moment. It looked like I would be making a trip to Pan to discover what I could about Lara, the cheerleader from Pan. I turned my focus back to my book in order to not let my Dad discover I was about to break several rules. If he couldn't see my eyes the likelihood of him pegging my next moves was lessened. He stood up and gave me a small kiss on the head and walked to his study.

After he was gone, I looked to where he sat. Familiar guilt ran over me. I had passed one more opportunity to tell him I knew. To tell him I knew I was adopted; I had failed to speak again. I just wasn't ready and right now, I needed to be ready for this case and school. Okay…who am I kidding? I needed to be ready for the case.

Cups of Stone

Booth

I have won! My parents relented on my grounding and I was allowed to go with Isa, Alex and Heathe to the local coffee and general hip hub, Cups of Stone to "hang." Want to know how?

Apparently my Mom was at Starbucks today and standing in line for her usual no-fat-no-sugar-no-crème-double-chocolate-latte with foam while she waited for Fritz and Brock to finish school. She had just received her drink when a young man, who apparently was in a hurry, pushed my Mom and sent her drink flying all over the floor. The young man began his order and didn't appear to want to apologize till the lady behind my Mom grabbed his attention.

She told the young man to apologize in words only found in a sailor's mouth and that he would buy my Mom and herself their drinks. The young man cowered and my Mom sat down with woman for coffee. The woman introduced herself as Lizzie Guan. My Mom was pleasantly surprised to meet my friend's mother- even though they were anything but 09er.

The two women had a wonderful conversation. My Mom relayed having dinner with the Kanes, Casablancas, and Logan Echolls and what a horrible time it had been and what her crazy daughter had done. Lizzie laughed. She then began to fill my Mom in on the true dirt of Neptune.

There was the Kane murder. The story of Lilly Kane, an all time slut, who was sleeping with her boyfriend's psychotic-abusive father, who killed her. This was only the beginning because then the Kanes, who thought it was Duncan, paid to cover-up the crime. Dick Casablancas was a bully and womanizer and it was no wonder he ran out of money. His father is in jail for embezzlement and screwing the I.R.S. one too many times. Why Mac married him- no one knows. Let's not forget that Dick bullied his little brother Cassidy, a rapist and mass murderer and victim of childhood sexual abuse who also committed suicide. Finally there was Logan Echolls, once a jackass always a jackass, Lizzie said. She informed my Mom that rumor had it Logan got caught banging Dick and Cassidy's step-mom. Other countless stories surfaced of the escapades of Duncan, Dick and Logan.

My Mom sat back a little confused and horrified that these people were her neighbors. Lizzie patted my Mom's hand and told her that she should proud if her daughter could piss off all of them because she'd been trying her whole life.

My Mom decided from then on we would be one of those families that was seen only when necessary and would conduct high profile background checks on all future possible acquaintances. She did decide she liked Lizzie, who was a respectable business woman and was intimidated by few. My Mom grew-up with women like that around her. Lizzie and Mom talked for the next few hours; my Mom totally forgetting about Fritz and Brock till they called. When she came home she told me I could hang out with Isa and Alex as much as I wanted. I was also supposed to stay far away from the Kanes and Casablancas till further notice.

Here I am sitting down and drinking my very fattening coffee with my friends.

"So I want to hear more about your life in the big city?" Heathe drawled.

Kill me now, he spoke to me. Honestly, I had wanted to spend more time with the dark Southern stranger in our group. I didn't date much in NY; mostly because boys were either afraid of my Dad or me. In fact, my last boyfriend was George. We split amicably knowing there was nothing more between us than "friends with serious make-out sessions." George was cute in a Shia LaBeouf sort of way. (I love Transformers- favorite classic teen-action movie, ever!) Heathe was just amazingly good looking like the lead singer of Last Seen. I wondered if Heathe sang too.

"So New York?" Isa cued me.

"Oh right, New York. It's a big city. Truthfully, I didn't venture far from my school, my home, my friend's mom's art gallery, and the Pub."

"Pub? As in bar?"

I laughed. "Less bar more coffee house. They served alcohol but you had to be 21 and they were fairly strict on IDing. The best reason to go to the Pub was the bands and the coffee. Grammercy Park, Orin, Last Seen, RLV, and Cool Hand Mary all performed there whenever they were in the city. It was a small venue and at times you got to meet the artists."

"YOU'RE KIDDING? Did you meet Haven Ben?" I believe Isa was gushing; something I take she didn't do often by the boys' expression.

"Yes, I met Haven Ben a few times. Orin played at least every three months. Oh and George, my friend, his dad was Orin's manager. Haven is a very talented musician…"

"And…"

"And a complete ass." I laughed at Isa's crestfallen expression. "I'm sorry Isa. He's incredibly full of himself, total twit."

"He's still hot."

"Yes, he is. But seriously, other than the Pub I was too busy with other projects."

"What other projects?" Alex finally chimed in with a mysterious grin.

I glared at him playfully. "Oh you know crime stuff…"

"Sounds like fun. How does Neptune rate?" Heathe asked me.

"We'll see. So far I am hated by most of the 09ers, grounded, and working for the Keith Mars…and I totally spaced!" I exclaimed. "I met Veronica M. or Mars!"

"You're kidding?"

"No but no one is supposed to know that; so can we keep it on the down low?"

"She's here in town?" Alex's question was anything less than friendly. What did he have against this chick?

"Yeah, she is here for awhile. She shed a few lights on the case. Speaking of shop talk…" I turned my gaze towards Heathe and batted my eyelashes.

He gave a cheerful sigh. "Is tomorrow night good for you?"

"Splendid. Do I need to bring anything?"

"A vest…bulletproof for the 1000 questions my mother will ask you."

"Don't worry I give good parent."

"JAN!" Isa screeched.

"What? Well, besides the Kanes and Casablancas, most parents love me. I mean it. No worries."

Heathe pushed his chair away from the table. "If you're coming to dinner I better go home tell my parents so my mom and dad can scrub the place down. Bye ya'll."

"Bye." We echoed. Just as Heathe left, Isa excused herself too. Her parents were still a bit paranoid about the kidnappings and were on the way to pick her up- refusing to let her drive herself.

Then there were two. Alex and I looked at each other and I decided it was now or never. "You flinch every time I say her name."

"What are you talking about?" He responded coolly.

"When I first brought up Veronica M. or Mars…whatever… you flinched. When we were trying to find out what really happened to Mr. Kane, Mrs. Casablancas and Echolls- you came up with her name."

"You figured it out." Alex finally replied- resigned that I now knew his secret.

"Your mother is Lizzie Manning-Guan. Your mother is Hannah Kane's biological aunt."

"You mean Faith…"

"What?"

"Hannah isn't her real name. She was born Faith Manning. Duncan Kane, with help from Veronica Mars, ran away with her when she was born. My mom and my Aunt Grace were left with nothing; no clue of where their sister's child went."

"I know."

"It gets worse. You know Meg died. You know Duncan left and then came back. He returned when he knew my grandparents were behind bars for good for child abuse. He returned, married and with a child in tow- Lilly Hannah Kane. Everyone calls her Hannah because no one really wants to associate the Kane princess with a murdered high school student. Duncan came back as a hero; saving Kane software. As a hero…"

"The Sheriff's department would gladly overlook the little pesky kidnapping charge. Duncan gets custody and no one is the wiser."

Alex merely nodded. His demeanor, still cool had softened under the relinquishing of the guarded family secret. "My mom and my aunt have tried on numerous occasions to see Hannah. To talk to her and tell her everything about her mom and her grandparents and why she never knew who they were but Duncan wouldn't allow it. He put on restraining order on both of them- forbidding contact with her. By the time she was old enough to make her own decision- she had chosen to completely ignore us. She wanted nothing to do with the Manning family and all it represented."

"She's your cousin. You go to the same school. You live in the same town."

"She pretty much ignores me and even my sister, who was editor before her. The only time I've ever heard her mention us was in a really bad joke you will never hear me repeat."

"I'm guessing your mom and aunt pretty much blame Veronica for helping Duncan escape…"

"That and the fact my aunt Meg died in the first place. I don't need to tell you about the bus crash- you know that, too. My aunt Grace is kinder about the subject. Veronica did step-in and report my grandparents for the disgusting abuse they inflicted on her and my mom. But my mom, my mom remembers too well everything Veronica did to her sister, their family, and while she was here at school. My family doesn't love the Kanes but they don't have much love for the Mars either."

"I see."

"Maybe you do… Look, I don't resent Veronica. I don't know her. I'm not sure to care to either. I do resent Duncan Kane. I think he's arrogant and a hypocrite. I think my cousins would have been found sooner if he hadn't gotten involved. I think his money is guilt…and if that's the case, I don't want it."

Alex Guan was more complex than I had given him credit for being. He knew more about the darkness of Neptune than I had yet to come to know. I grew-up in a city that was a tragedy for crime, corruption and at times, war. Somehow, she always rose above it in my eyes. New York sat on a pedestal along with Keith Mars and his talented daughter. There were others, too.

Yet from Alex, I had no feeling that Neptune had risen from its struggles, secrets, and pain but only sunk lower and lower till it lay beneath the ground. Neptune and its darkness buried underneath a tombstone of its very own. The question- whose name was on it?