Okay, I know this chapter is way overdue, but better late than never right? Well I'm not going to babble on and on with excuses but I'm sure you'd rather just get to the chapter, because I'm awesome and this story's awesome and all that fun stuff. I would write individual reviews but I'm on such a role writing the next chapter, you all might just get lucky with 2 chapters in one night. But reviews are always welcomed and appreciated. They are what keep me inspired to finish out my stories.

As always, read, review and enjoy.

I hated to admit it, but I finally needed maternity clothes. My jeans were cutting into my stomach, and with the bruise from the seatbelt, it was a lot more painful. But buying the clothes wasn't exactly my finest moment.

There I was, picking through ugly and uglier pants donning a hat and sunglasses. I did not want to be recognized here. Pulling a pair of dark jeans off the rack, I tried to convince myself this was a good as it gets. In reality, I was overreacting. No one was going to see the stretchy waistband, but for me, this was mortifying. I had never been anything bigger than a size 2, and even that was pushing it.

I could do this. I've been through more difficult things before. I headed to the fitting room with the dark pair of jeans. Taking off my tight pants, I stared at the lower half. From the front, nothing looked different. My petite frame was still in tact. It was only when I turned sideways that I could see any change. The bump wasn't huge, though the healing, yellowish bruise drew more attention to it, but it was definitely there. Closing in on the fifth month, I was beginning to wonder if I was really pregnant. Besides the sonogram pictures, my heightened appetite and my frequent bathroom breaks, even I forgot sometimes. But here it was, physical proof. People who would pass me on the street would know.

I pulled the dark denim up my legs, and already I felt better. My legs weren't squeezed into the pants and even better, I could breathe. I was sold. One pair of maternity pants weren't going to kill me.

With my new purchase in hand, I walked back into the streams of people in the mall. My shopping spree had been shorter than I expected. Wallace had dropped me off on his way to class but I knew he had practice afterwards. Mac, Parker and Piz had their economic class together. I really didn't want to bother my dad, so by process of elimination I dialed Logan's number.

I wasn't avoiding him but after our last heated encounter we both needed some space. Things were intense but things were just going to get harder, so it was better to deal with things now than with a screaming baby keeping us up.

"You've reached Logan. The inspirational quote of the day is: The strongest among the weak is the one who doesn't forget his weakness." I hung up.

It pained me to think the last person I had to call.

"Is this business or pleasure?" Dick Casablancas sneered into the phone.

I smiled, "Hey, Dick!"

"Cut to the chase, Veronica, I have things to do," Dick said, slightly annoyed.

"Frak," I mumbled.

He waited a second before asking, "What do you need, Ronnie?"

What would Dick really have to do? Its not like he went to class. He didn't have a girlfriend, "I need a ride."

"No can do," I heard rustling in the background. Maybe he did have a girlfriend.

"I hate to say this, but you're my last hope," I finally admitted, tilting my head to the side, hoping that my power of persuasion would work once more.

He sighed heavily as if this were a moral decision, "Alright, but you have to tag along with me."

"Dick, there is no way in hell that I'm videotaping your sexcipades."

"Where are you, Veronica?"

For once Dick sounded serious, which took me by surprise, "The mall."

"Okay," He said as I heard keys jingle in the background, "I'll meet you outside Nordstroms."

"So what kind of escapade am I accompanying you on?" I asked when I climbed into his Hummer ten minutes later.

He held his index finger to his lips, "I need to mentally prepare."

"Oh God," I gasped, "Are you using me to make a girl date you?"

"Mars, don't flatter yourself," He scoffed, "Besides why would I want a girl to think I'm your baby daddy?"

"Do you really think I would sleep with you, unprotected?"

He was silent now, his eyes focused on the road. He didn't deviate his stare from the road until we pulled up to the county jail.

"Okay, now I need to know what's going on," I glanced between the high security building and Dick.

He parked the truck, "We're visiting my dad."

It wasn't the same, like when I visited Abel Koontz but it just goes to show you what money can really buy. It was a private room, not unlike the interrogation rooms at the Sheriff's department.

Dick Senior was already in the room when we were brought in after an less than thorough security check. Dick sat in the chair facing his father and I took the seat in the corner. My attempt to blend into the wall failed miserably because instead of focusing at his son, Dick Senior stared at me.

"Hello, father," Dick finally broke the silence. I took that moment to breathe.

"Dick," His answered, his eyes still focused on my corner, "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Dick laughed, "You're locked up. Do you think I'd miss this?"

"Seeing as I've been incarcerated for the past six months, I thought you would," Dick Sr. countered finally directing his glare at his son.

"Well," Dick sighed, "I live a busy life."

It was the eldest's turn to chuckle at a Casablancas, "Busy with her?"

I looked up from the floor at the mention of me. The intonation of his voice gave it away. It was the very same inflection most of the high class Neptune residence, such as Celeste Kane and Aaron Echolls, said Veronica Mars.

"This isn't about her," Dick said through a tight jaw, "This is about me."

"Surprise, surprise," His father scoffed.

Dick began to fidget with his fingers. Never in my life had I seen Dick Casablancas in such a state. He was vulnerable.

"Let's see," Dick Sr. interrupted the awkward air that had settled, "Did you catch a sweet wave? Did you blow through your trust fund? Did you get a girl pregnant? Did you get Veronica Mars pregnant?"

Subconsciously my hand sheltered my stomach from the elder Casablancas' prying eyes, part of me wanting to reach out and slap him.

"Just stop!" Dick yelled, causing both his father and I to jump, "All you care about is your name. Well guess what. I can't do anything to the Casablancas name that you haven't already done!"

Dick Sr. laughed a laugh that sent shivers down my spine, "Had I not made the decisions I did, you would have grown up with nothing. Why don't you ask your little girlfriend how that feel?"

"God Dad!" Dick slammed his fists on the table in frustration, "There are more important things in life than money. Cassidy's gone! Your son is dead. Your decisions kept you from his funeral."

The room got eerily silent and I watched as Dick Sr.'s face contorted, "That's not fair. You know I would've been there if I could've."

It was Dick's turn to let out a cold laugh, "Oh really? Where were you all those years? Where were you when I taped his feet to the pedals of his bike? Where were you when I tortured him mercilessly? Where were you then, Dad?"

"I'm sorry I couldn't control you. Did you really expect me to break up every brotherly tiff you had?"

"We used to have contests," DIck's voice dropped to almost a whisper, "to see which one of us could make him cry. I can barely live with myself sometimes, and it's so much easier when you're not around."

"Well, son, you don't have to worry about me for a year," Dick Sr. looked away, not meeting either of our eyes.

"Huh," Dick sighed, reflexively, "That's exactly what this biker I went to high school with got for stealing the Huntington's lawn jockey. It's good to be king, huh?"

"I'm did the best I could!" Dick Sr. shot up in his chair, and I jumped at the sudden angry movement, "For you and for Cassidy!"

Dick matched his father's threatening stance. I couldn't help but notice that he had stepped in between Dick Sr. and I as the verbal sparring escalated, "Well Cassidy turned out so well."

"And that's my fault?"

"I walk by the spot he splattered on everyday, you know."

Dick Sr. clenched his jaw, "Cassidy was a coward for what he did."

"What he did? What he did? Let's talk about what he did?" Dick began to quiver, both in his voice and in his body, "He was sexually assaulted, by a man. He killed our classmates. He humiliated his girlfriend. He blew up a plane. And he raped Veronica."

Oh, shit. It all hit me like a tone of bricks. I felt faint. I hadn't thought about that Cassidy for a long time, but this, was too much to handle.

"You're going to believe what Veronica Mars has to say?"

"Even if it wasn't true, which it is, adding rape to a laundry list of crimes doesn't change what Beav--I mean Cassidy was. And I blame that all on you."

Dick Sr. couldn't say anything, or else I couldn't hear what was going on. All I could hear was the quickening, heavy breathing that was escaping my lungs. I couldn't risk another panic attack.

"Come on, Veronica," Dick reached for my hand, "I'm done here."

It was comforting when Dick pulled me closer to his body, wrapping a, dare I say it, protective arm around my shoulders. He ushered me out to his car, where we sat, staring at the jailhouse. Again with the déjà vu.

But this time I didn't break down. This time, Dick let himself go, heaving sobs onto the steering wheel. For once I saw Dick Casablancas as human.

I suppressed my own anxiety, my own tears and I placed a hand on Dick's steadily heaving back. The sobs grew louder, thrust his body forward harder until slowly he brought his head up. His face was tearstained. His nose was running. This was the first time I'd ever seen him look unattractive.

"I'm sorry, you know," Dick choked out, "For everything he did to you. I wish I could've said that sooner."

"Shh," I shushed him, "It's okay."

"Okay?" He cynically laughed between falling tears, "Veronica, things haven't been okay for a long time."

He was right, "I haven't thought about it. It's easier that way."

"I wish," He started, "I wish I could just forget. I wish I could just erase my mind, my memories. But it won't go away."

"Sometimes I'm glad I don't remember what happened to me. I don't know what I would do if I did. But it doesn't change anything. The hurt is still there. I don't think that will ever go away. But you learn to move on, to deal."

"You're amazing, Veronica Mars," Dick placed his head back on the steering wheel, "I couldn't do half the things you do."

I felt like the wind was knocked out of me. Throughout the years, before Lilly's murder, Dick and I had never been classified as friends. Even dating both Duncan and Logan, we hadn't really spent time together, one-on-one, like we were now. I hated to admit it, but if this was the Dick I saw all the time, I could actually stand to be around him.

"I've got tough skin. You have to," I revealed, "Sometimes I don't know how I wake up, especially back in high school but it's all made me stronger. You can be too."
Suddenly, for inside my bag, my phone began to vibrate. I had forgotten about the outside world, though obviously it hadn't forgotten me. Logan was displayed on the caller ID.

"Frak," I cursed, answering the call, "Hey Logan."

"Please don't tell me you're still shopping?" Logan asked. I could hear people in the background. He probably just got out of class.

I laughed. Me shop for hours? Ha. "No, I've been done for a while."

"Oh," He sounded disappointed, "Who picked you up?"

"Dick, actually," I said glancing back at my driver.

Logan laughed, "How'd you talk him into that?"

"Ah, with the promises of blow jobs and ice cream."

"That sounds about right," Logan responded, "Are you up to anything tonight?"

"Up to?"

"Do you want to hang out? Watch a movie or something?"

Hm, hang out with the father of my unborn child? Where's the harm in that? "Uh, sure. You're place?"

Logan coughed, probably out of sheer amazement that I agreed, "Yeah, I'll come pick you up."

"Actually, I'm still out with Dick, so I'll just come back with him," I almost hesitated to tell him that in fact, Dick and I were still together and that I was actually enjoying myself.

"Still with Dick? And you haven't killed each other? This I got to see."

"Well, I did promise him blow jobs," I emphasized the S.

Logan laughed, "I'll see you when I see you I guess."

We hung up and in the time I'd been on the phone, Dick composed his self. No one would be able to tell there were, just a few minutes prior, tears streaming down his tanned face and snots running out of his nose.

"So," Dick finally broke the silence, "Were you serious when you promised…"

"No! I will not give you a blow job," I snapped, "I can't believe you would even ask me that. And just when I thought you were a human underneath it all."

"Uh, Veronica?" Dick stared at me with wide eyes, "I was going to say ice cream. But I'm glad you value me as a person now."

My cheeks burned crimson as I sunk into the seat, "Uh, yeah, ice cream I can do."

"Um, and I don't think I need to say this but," He paused, starting up the engine, "Can we keep this between us?"

"Of course, Dick," I nodded, touching his hand on the gearshift softly for reassurance, "And, as weird as this is going to sound, if you ever need to talk, you know my number."

Dick rubbed his thumb on my hand and then shuddered, "I'm sorry but this is all a little too weird."

I recoiled my hand, "But I mean it."

"I know, and I appreciate it," He breathed, pulling out of the parking lot, "Thanks for coming with me today."

"Don't mention it," I smiled, though internally I was screaming. It was hard to keep those demons locked up but thanks to this little trip down memory lane, they wanted out. I wasn't sure how long I could hold it back, but I just hoped I was strong enough to last until I got home later.

Personally I have a small fondness for Dick. I feel like his character is often underappreciated and written off. I hope this isn't too outlandish to believe that Dick Casablancas is an actual human being. So expect more pretty soon.