Thank you so much for all the kind reviews, I really love reading them! I know this isn't the longest multi-chapter fic, but I think there're going to be about 5 or 6 new chapters before I wrap this story up. And who knows what'll be next...

IX.

Never again.

She felt the anger pouring out of her with every step, the sun blistering hot and burning on her face and shoulders, as she ran and ran along the boulevard. Her mom could screw whoever she wanted. She could walk away and never come back. That was her own fucking choice.

But never, never again would she break down, plead or cry.

People would always leave her behind. But she would never let it hurt her, never let it get to her. Not anymore. It was something she had to get used to. Her mom would let her down, she had done that on multiple occasions already. Duncan had left her without a word. Logan had turned his back on her once before. Lilly hadn't, yet, but she wondered if that'd be only a matter of time.

Her dad wouldn't leave her, she was sure he wouldn't – but would he feel the same way if he knew she wasn't his, but Jake Kane's daughter?

He would never leave you, said a small, faint voice in the back of her head, but an angrier one blared over it. Of course he would! You better prepare yourself!

Angry tears pricked in the corners of her eyes and she ran even faster, even though the heat was pressing on her lungs and she was already gasping for breath. She managed to run another mile before collapsing at the beach. Of course she'd gone out unprepared and hadn't packed a water bottle, something she, with a dry throat and rasping breath, very much regretted now.

She stretched out her body on the warm sand and closed her eyes, still breathing heavily. She wasn't going to cry. She wasn't going to show any weakness, even if there wasn't anybody there to witness it.

What was that mantra again? Facts before feelings.

Fact: your mother doesn't love you.

Hmm… disputable.

Fact: Duncan Kane is an asshole.

Yes. That didn't mean she didn't love him. She sighed and turned on her side, the sand sticking to her sweaty back and shoulders. She pushed herself up and walked into the gulf, allowing her feet to sink into the slick sand. Soon, the water came up to her knees and she shivered slightly, although it was pleasant rather than cold.

She knew she had to get home. Her father liked to spend their weekends together as a family, and she used to look forward to them. But now she wondered if she'd be able to pull off the kind and caring daughter act. Especially since her mother hadn't come home last night. At six in the morning she'd stumbled through the backdoor, not even trying to keep the noise down.

Not that Veronica was sleeping. She'd woken up at five am after a restless sleep and hadn't been able to fall asleep again. She'd waited until her mother had disappeared into the master bedroom before she'd slipped out of her bed and gone downstairs. After two glasses of orange juice she'd taken Backup for a walk, early enough to see the sun rise over the bay. But she'd been to occupied with her own thoughts to really pay attention to the beauty of that morning. Backup seemed to notice her absence as well, never straying too far from her side.

She'd stayed on the beach 'til nine, and when she came home she'd changed immediately into her running clothes. She couldn't even look at her mother, saying a quick goodbye to her dad before taking off again. It had grown hotter very quickly. At eleven it'd become nearly unbearable.

She walked home and took a shower before joining her dad on the porch. Her mom had probably gone back to bed, but she didn't bother to ask.

'There you are, honey. I've barely seen you all morning.'

'You know me, I'm a busy girl.' She gave him a tight smile, but of course he noticed something was off.

'Are you okay, kid? You still look tired.'

She ducked her head, unable to meet his gaze. 'Mom left last night.'

He sighed. When he spoke again, he sounded tired too. 'I know.'

'Why do you let her do it?' she blurted out, finally sick of keeping up appearances. 'Why do you let her go? Can't you see what she's doing?'

'Veronica –'

'Why do you let her hurt us?' It came out as a sob. She looked up at him, his face torn between anger and hurt. He remained silent and secretly, she felt glad, because she didn't know what she wanted him to say.

'Do you love your mother?' he asked eventually, his voice softer than she'd expected.

'I hate her,' she answered truthfully, before adding: 'but yeah, I love her.'

She forced back the tears, swallowing heavily. 'Do you?'

'I love her. And Veronica, she loves you very much. Don't ever doubt that.'

'But not enough.' She remembered the words her mother had spoken the night before, harsh and deliberate. That made her choice pretty clear, right?

'Don't think like that, Veronica. Your mother loves you, she really does. But you've always been so much stronger than she is. You're a fighter.'

She couldn't help but smile. 'Like you.'

He grinned and pulled her into a tight bear hug. 'You bet. Come on, kid, let's do something fun.'

He got up and hurled her over his shoulder before she could protest, taking out his keys and walking up to the garage. 'What about a little trip to San Diego Zoo?'

'You better put me down then, driving safety and all.' He deposited her rather ungracefully in the passenger seat of the car.

'Oh? And who's going to arrest me?'

'Lamb, of course. He's been preying on your position since day one.'

'He's an ambitious man, I'll give him that. But I don't think driving without my seatbelt on is going to get me thrown out of office.'

'You'll be surprised…' she answered darkly, when the engine began to roar and they took off. Soon, they were driving on the PCH, the Pacific glistening peacefully down below. She looked at the man next to her, and suddenly she wondered if it mattered if he was her real father or not.

They could say all they want about blood running thicker than water but this man had raised her. He loved her unconditionally. The voice in the back of her head started to protest again, but this time, she pushed it away. Keith Mars loved her. Nothing would change that.