Chapter 5—The Truth will set you free
"Come on Lilly, you know I hate surprises!" Veronica states in a whiny voice.
"Nope, I promised Donut I wouldn't tell you." Lilly replied with a smile. "Besides it's too much fun watching you guess."
"But I'm the birthday girl and some BFF you are." She sat on the bathroom counter and played with her hair. Lilly rolled her eye's and continued with her make-up
"Plus Logan gave you his gift already." Veronica fingered the charm bracelet that hung from her wrist and smiled. It had four charms on it, and Logan had explained them each to her. The heart was 'Because she had the biggest heart of them all and she could melt anyone's with a smile.' The number 3 charm was to remind her that there were always 3 people she could count on no matter what. There was a soccer ball because that is where they had met, and the last one was a dog to remind them of their place, Dog Beach.
"I think my boyfriend likes you better than me, I just got a card and dinner for my birthday" Veronica now rolled her eyes at her friend.
"You did dump him the week before so you could have, AND I QUOTE 'guilt free fun with your Tennis coach.' Can you really blame him?"
"Whose side are you on here?" Lilly asked mocking hurt. "Plus, you saw the look on Celeste's face when she saw us making out in the pool…priceless."
"Yes, but you could use Logan to make her mad, you know she thinks he's just another a-listers son looking to get laid." They both shared a laugh.
"How come you didn't ask what I got you?"
"Because you have gotten me the same thing every year since we were eight…Marshmallows and promises."
"Well Birthday girl, lets get you out there you only turn 15 once." Veronica hops down from the counter letting her pink dress fall into place as she got ready for her party.
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Veronica sat in her Journalism class, glad that they had finished their final last week, and was now watching 'Goodnight, and good luck'. Her mind drifted in and out of the movie as she replayed the possible scenarios in her head. She had promised herself she wouldn't accuse Duncan of raping her until she had proof, she just wanted to know what had happened after the body shots. Though after Logan telling her about putting GHB in his drink she wasn't sure Duncan would be any help either.
The bell rang, telling them that it was now officially summer. Veronica rushed to catch up with Duncan as he headed to his locker. "can I talk to you for a minute, Duncan?" She knew Logan was keeping her distance to let her do this alone, but she could feel him watching from a distance.
"If it's about Saturday night, can we just forget it?" Veronica looked at him cautiously, not sure how to respond or what to think.
"What is there to forget Duncan?" She kept her voice still and low as she spoke. She didn't want her business all across the school, anymore than it already was. She noticed that Duncan wouldn't look at her and tears started to build up in her eyes as the night pieced itself together in her head. "So you did rape me?" Her voice was so cold that she almost didn't recognize it, she felt like she was watching this happen rather than living it.
"Rape?? What the fuck, Veronica? You were there too!" His voice was a little louder than normal and she winced and as she looked around grateful to see that the halls were empty with the exception of her Duncan, and Logan.
"See, but I don't remember the night Duncan and you do." He tears were building up in her eyes, but she refused to cry until she knew what had happened. "I had carried you over to a table and left to get you some water. When I got back you were gone. Madison said Dick Cassidy and Casey had taken you to lie down." His cheeks were now wet. "I had started to feel a little buzz so I knew I couldn't drive you home so I went looking for you. Shelley was puking in the Kitchen so I took her up to her room, and laid her down. About an hour later I saw you there, just lying in bed, so innocent." He still refused to look at her. "I went and touched your shoulder to wake you up; I needed to make sure you were okay. Then you told me you missed me, and I got caught up in the moment. I swear to god you consented." Veronica closes her eyes composing herself.
"Then why did I wake up alone? If it was such a tender moment why did I wake up alone, and looking for my underwear?" Her voice cracked as she began sobbing, and fell to her knees. They had both seemed to forget that they were still standing in a hallway.
"I-I just realized I didn't love you anymore. That it was a mistake." Veronica's heart ached at those words, it was true she had been over Duncan for a while, but the word mistake felt like she had been stabbed. It sucked the breath out of her.
"Tell her the truth now! We all know that you wouldn't have slept with her if you didn't love her." Veronica had never heard Logan's voice sound so distant, especially not towards Duncan. "If you don't I will." Duncan looked at Logan with disbelief. "she deserves to know the truth Duncan."
"Okay." Was all he said. "But not here."
"My place." Logan offered, while helping Veronica up. "We will meet you in an hour."
"Okay." Logan placed an arm around Veronica leading her to the yellow X-terra. After helping her in he walked to the drivers side and sat in silence for a minute. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, fine, but what aren't you telling me?" She looked over at him and he simply grabbed her hand, lacing her fingers through his.
"This isn't my secret to tell, but I honestly didn't know about you two having sex Saturday."
"I believe you." She looked down at her hand, intertwined with his and suddenly became conscious of it pulling her arm away.
"I want you to know, I'm here for you no matter what happens." Logan started the X-terra and made his way to his house.
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"Come on Veronica, sneaking out is a quintessential part of being a teenager." Lilly walked across the room and opened Veronica's window. "We will be back before they even know."
"Fine, but you owe me…" veronica said while pretending to pout. "What are we doing any ways?"
"Getting fake ID's" Lilly's voice was simple and airy as she hopped into the tree that sat next to Veronica's second story window. "Now Come on Veronica Mars, get your butt in this tree." As she put her foot on the branch her mother walked in causing her to jump and fall.
When Veronica woke up she was in the hospital, her parents and Lilly by her side.
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As the three entered Logan's pool house there was an eerie silence. Veronica sat on the bed, while Duncan sat in a chair across from her, and Logan stood at the bar. "Are you going to tell her anytime today?" Logan prodded. Duncan sighed and ran his hands through his hair.
"Remember when you got knocked out while sneaking out of your window?"
"Yeah why?" Veronica was unsure of what Duncan was getting at. So she sat there waiting for him to continue. He again wasn't making eye contact with her and that made her nervous.
"Well your mom took you to the hospital and before your dad got there she ordered a paternity test." She gave him a weird look. "My dad and your mom were high school sweethearts, and well they had an affair. You're my sister."
"What?" sob. "But, how, oh my god." Suddenly she felt like the room was closing in on her. Duncan was her brother, and she had slept with him. She suddenly turned to Logan. "You knew…you and Lilly both knew why he broke up with me, and neither of you told me!!" She was furious with Logan, and Duncan, and Lilly. They hadn't told her something, they had all known why he dumped her, and watched as she blamed herself. They had let her believe she did something wrong. Turning back to Duncan she began to cry. "You knew I was your sister and still you slept with me."
"It's not that easy Veronica, God why is everything so black and white with you? That's not how life is and you know it."
"YOU KNEW I was your SISTER, Duncan. Don't turn this on me."
"I was drunk, and you were there, I wasn't thinking. I saw you there, and I remembered all the love I had for you, and I couldn't help it, I lost control. The next morning I was so sick with myself, for doing that to you, to us."
"Well at least you get to remember your first time Duncan, as horrible and wrong as it was, at least you get to have that memory."
"WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO SAY?" He stood and left, turning around as he got to the door. "I never didn't love you, that's why I had to cut you out of my life."
Once Duncan was gone the room was silent. Logan walked over to the bed pulling Veronica into him as he had the day before. This time she pushed him away. "I promised I wouldn't tell you." She looked at him with tear streaked eyes. She knew it wasn't his fault but she needed to scream at somebody.
"You knew and didn't tell me, I was your best friend Logan, I was the one that was there for you when you needed a ride home or a place to crash, and you knew that my father wasn't my father, and my best friend and boyfriend were my brother and sister and you kept it from me. Go to hell."
"Veronica…"
"Don't Logan. Just save it for somebody who cares." Veronica stood up and left Logan sitting in the pool house alone. He had hoped the truth would set them free from the fake façade they were all living in, but once again he was wrong. Logan lay back on the bed staring at the ceiling fan.
"What the hell?"
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"Logan, are you alright?" Lilly asked as she looked at the broken nose her boyfriend was sporting. "What happened?"
"Didn't you hear that he fell surfing? I'm sure I told you when you called this weekend." Veronica said as Logan gave her a thankful look. He had really just embarrassed his father by getting caught driving home drunk while still a minor. He had spent the rest of the weekend at Veronicas and while her father had believed the story of falling off the board and hitting his nose. Veronica had seen the marks on his back, and knew it wasn't an accident.
"Yeah, you should have seen the wave. It was huge." Logan added.
"Yeah well I better get to class. Don't do anything I wouldn't" Veronica wiggled her eyes at her two best friends and left.
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Veronica sat in her bed calling Logan's number for the 20th time in two days. She was beginning to think that life had gone back to the way it was a week ago. That the truth had made them regress. Finally when she was about to hang up she heard his voice, it was so broken and she instantly wanted to comfort him. She had never left her caring friend stage like Duncan and Logan had.
"Logan, what's wrong? Is it your dad again?" Veronica already had her keys in hand and was ready to get him by the time he answered.
"yes."
"I'll be there in a minute just stay out of the way."
"Actually, Ronnie, can you bring your dad with you." She agreed and within ten minutes she was at mars investigations picking up her father.
"Dad we have to hurry, he sounded really bad." As they arrived at the Echoll's estate they were greeted by Lynn and sent to the pool house. Veronica took a big breath as she opened the door to see Logan in the spot she had been three days ago. He looked as if she had been crying and Veronica walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong Logan?"
Noticing them he spoke. "Are you still investigating Lilly's death sir?" He looked at Mr. Mars, who shook his head indicating that he was. "I think I have some evidence you might want to see."
"Shoot" Keith said as he sat in the chair next to the guest bed. Logan immediately turned the TV on to show him and Veronica sitting on the bed. "What the…" Logan interrupted Keith's confusion.
"I was in here the other day and lay back on the bed. That's when I saw a lens in the fan. I immediately started to look for the cored and I ran into this. Its motion censored so he never would have had to open it. A couple of the tapes are made with girls we go to school with. Its on a bed so you can imagine. I looked through the drawer and there are three weeks missing, the weeks of July 4th 2003, august 15th, and October 3rd."
"Lilly's secret." Veronica said softly as her father looked at the videos.
"Does anybody else know about these?" Logan shook his head and Keith continued. "Does it show enough to get him on statutory rape?" Logan nodded again. "Veronica get the medical gloves out of your car. Take the tapes next to the missing ones see if you can see Lilly's finger prints. Logan, where is your dad?"
"He's on set in Germany until Monday."
"That gives us three days to make a case." Keith started looking at the shelf. "Don't touch anything in this room and which tapes did you watch?" Keith asks, looking at the boy who had been forced to grow up so fast. Logan was just as broken as Veronica and Keith knew it. One thing about living in Neptune was that your children grew to be jaded beyond their years. "Get your mom out of here on Sunday." Logan Nodded and Keith turned to leave. "I'll book you two at the Grand Neptune under a different name." Walking out of the pool house he saw Logan breakdown, and wondered how long before his daughter too broke.