The next morning Logan picks up some pastries and drives over to Veronica's house. As he parks on the street her front door opens and a young woman and man come out. They lock the door and walk towards a car in the driveway. Logan gets out and asks them if Veronica is home. They tell him that a Veronica doesn't live there. Logan says, "Veronica Mars." The man says, "Oh you mean the people who sold us the house." Logan asks them how long they have lived there and they say "Six months." Logan goes back to his car and gets in. Veronica moved over six months ago and he had no idea. He starts his car and drives to school. Her car is not in the parking lot. He walks past her locker and doesn't see her there although her daily locker decorations are already present. He doesn't have a class with her until after lunch. At lunch he asks Meg if she has seen her. Meg tells him she was absent for their AP classes this morning. Logan looks over to the table she usually sits at and no one is there. That Wallace guy she usually sits with is sitting with the basketball players. Duncan is not at school this morning. Logan gets up and goes to a quiet area of the Quad and dials Duncan. He gets his voice mail.

After Journalism where Veronica and Duncan are absent, Logan has Math with that Wallace kid. Logan walks over to him and asks him if he knows where Veronica is. Wallace looks at him and tells him he does know where she is and pointedly turns his back on Logan. Logan rolls his eyes and goes over to his seat. He sits in class thinking about where she could be. It is not like her to miss class; it will affect her class standing if she misses too many days. After school Logan sits in his car wondering where Veronica could be. She is likely sick at home but since he has no idea where she lives, he can't go and check on her. He calls Duncan again and gets his voice mail. He hangs up without leaving a message. He is frustrated that he doesn't know how to get a hold of her and frustrated that he even wants to. They hate each other.

He heads home and as he parks, he sees that his mother is home. He goes in the house and finds her in the living room. She is sitting on one of the sofas. It is obvious she has been crying. He goes over and asks her what is wrong. She looks at him and says "I went and saw Keith today."
Logan's heart sinks as he looks at his mother. He knows the news is not good. He waits while she wipes her eyes and she says, "Logan, she has a really aggressive cancer. It has not responded to any treatments so far. The doctors only gave her three months to live if she didn't respond to treatment."

Logan asks woodenly not really wanting to hear her answer, "When was that?"

Lynn looks at him with watery eyes, "Three months ago Logan, I'm sorry."

Lynn looks at Logan and says, "She has a doctor's appointment later this week. Keith says she stayed home sick from school. He says she had to start taking pain killers."

Logan says, "I noticed she lost weight and looks tired."

Lynn takes his hand and says, "She's dying Logan."

Logan jumps up and says, "We're not friends anymore mom. I have to go meet Dick and Beaver. We're going surfing. Don't expect me for supper."

Logan leaves the room. Lynn looks after him with sad eyes. She gets up and goes over to the bar.

The next day, Duncan is back in school. Veronica is still absent. Logan finds Duncan beside his locker. He asks Duncan if he talked to his dad.

Duncan looks around and makes sure they are alone. He says quietly, "When I talked to Dad yesterday, he didn't know Logan. He admitted to having the affair with Veronica's mom. He says he wondered if she might be his but Mr. Mars was a good father to her and Mrs. Mars never said anything to him about it so he thought Veronica was not his biological daughter."

Logan looks down at his feet and says, "What a mess!"

Duncan continues, "Dad says that when Veronica and Lilly became friends, he liked Veronica. She was so sweet and innocent and so petit like her mother. He said he understood why I loved her so much."

Logan shakes his head at the thought of Jake Kane and Lianne Mars together.

Duncan says, "They dated all through high school and when they graduated they had a big fight and broke up. Dad started dating Mom. Mrs. Mars came back and they made up and Dad broke up with Mom. Mom found out she was pregnant with Lilly when she was in Europe. When she got back, she told Dad and he broke up with Mrs. Mars and married her. Dad says that Mrs. Mars moved to Seattle and he didn't see her for a couple of years. When he saw her again, she was married to Mr. Mars and had a little girl."

Logan says, "Veronica is only a few months younger than Lilly. She could be your half sister."

Duncan says, "Yes, she definitely could be."

Duncan continues, "Anyways, Mom never told him that Veronica was his daughter. They had a huge fight. Mom left for Napa after. Dad got an investigator to find out about Veronica's cancer. His lawyer started proceedings to request a paternity test."

Logan says, "Are you OK?"

Duncan says, "I don't know Logan. I thought about telling her last year why I couldn't date her anymore. She was so hurt. Mom warned me not to tell Veronica. Mom said it would cause a lot of problems and break up our family. Then Lilly died and I just didn't want to cause any more problems for mom and dad. I didn't realize Dad didn't know."

The bell rings and the two friends walk towards class together.

Veronica is not in class the rest of the week. Logan wonders how she is doing but has no one to ask. He cut himself off so thoroughly from her that she didn't even tell him she has cancer. She didn't tell him she moved. He doesn't even really know her anymore.

Logan goes home on Friday afternoon and his mother is waiting for him. Logan sees the look on her face and his heart drops. He knows it is bad news.

Lynn Echolls looks at her son sadly and says, "Logan, Veronica is in the hospital."

Logan stays quiet waiting for his mother to tell him what is going on.

His mother says, "I went with Keith and Veronica to the doctor today. The x-rays show that the cancer has spread throughout her brain."

Lynn takes a deep breath and says, "After the doctor told us the news, Veronica turned to her dad and told him it was time to let her go." Logan sees the tears fill her eyes at the memory. She takes a breath and continues, "The nurse gave her some medicine to help with the nausea and pain and she fell asleep."

Lynn starts crying and Logan listens as she chokes out the story. "The doctor took Keith and me outside the room and told Keith it is time to take her home to die. He told Keith that he would recommend her to hospice care where a nurse would come by and help Keith keep care of her and make sure she wasn't in pain and that the end would be as comfortable as possible. The doctor said Veronica only had a few days to maybe a couple of weeks. He said she would probably go into a coma near the end and wouldn't feel pain."

Lynn wipes her eyes. Then she goes on with her story. She says, "Keith insisted they try the last chemotherapy drug. The doctor told him that Veronica is too weak and it will probably kill her. Keith signed the permit and they transferred Veronica to the hospital to give her the drug. It is a harsh drug and has lots of strong side effects. Veronica is staying in the hospital because they have to monitor her heart and breathing after the drug."

Logan says quietly, "Is there a chance she could die tonight?"

Lynn looks at Logan and says, "Yes."

Logan looks pained and says, "Oh God!"

Logan sits quietly for a few minutes and then he says, "I have to see her Mom."

Mrs. Echolls shakes her head and says, "I don't think Keith will let you see her Logan."

Logan looks at his mother. She adds, "Keith knows how awful you have been to her and the rumors you started about her."

Logan says, "Veronica told him that?"

Mrs. Echolls says, her voice stiff with disapproval, "No Logan. Her friends told Keith. Apparently Veronica hasn't told her dad anything about the treatment she has been getting at school."

There is silence while Logan absorbs what his mother has said.

His mother looks at him sadly and says, "Logan. I know you are angry over Lilly's death and how things are for you here. If half of what I hear from Keith about what you did to Veronica is true, then you aren't the man I hoped you would be."

Logan looks at the disappointment on his mother's face and he says, "Veronica deserved it. She hurt the Kanes when they were reeling from Lilly's death. She turned her back on Lilly, Duncan and me."

Mrs. Echolls said, "Right now it looks to me like you turned your back on Veronica. I think you should stay away from the hospital and let the people who love Veronica spend their last few precious moments with her."

She gets up and looks down at Logan. She says, "I am going back to the hospital to sit with Keith. If she lives through the night, they will know in a few days if the drug is going to work. I will let you know what happens. Try and stay away from your father."

She leaves the room.

Logan puts his head in his hands.

As Logan sits in the living room thinking about what his mother said to him, his cell phone rings. He recognizes Duncan's ring tone and pushes the button to answer. "DK" he says.

His best friend says, "Logan"

Logan says, "Mom just told me that Veronica is in the hospital."

Duncan says, "I'm at the hospital with Dad."

Logan says, "What is going on?"

Duncan says, "Logan, Veronica has gone into a coma and the doctors don't think she will make it through the night. Her cancer is bad. It did spread to her head like she said the other night."

Duncan's voice breaks, "God Logan, I saw her through the window of her room. She looks so pale and still. She is so tiny. She's lost all her hair."

There is silence between the two men while Duncan tries to keep control of his emotions. Then Duncan his voice shaky says, "I don't think my dad is going to say anything to Mr. Mars now. If Veronica doesn't live through the night, what difference does it make who her biological father was?"

Logan says emotionally, "I need to see her Duncan."

Duncan says, "Mr. Mars is sitting by her bed. He won't let anyone in Logan." Duncan says his voice more emotional. "Veronica is dying and the only people visiting her are her Dad, that lawyer friend of theirs, her basketball friend Wallace and that computer chick Mac. Otherwise she is alone." His voice completely breaks on the world alone.

Logan hears Duncan take a couple of breaths. Duncan's voice lowers, "It's funny what you think of at times like this. I was wondering what my last words to Veronica were. Were the last words she heard from most people; slut, trailer trash, whore? If she dies Logan, there will only be a few people at her funeral." Duncan pauses and says, "Remember Lilly had so many people there to say goodbye?"

Logan feels pain in his chest. His last words to Veronica were full of hate and venom. He hates her. He shouldn't feel so much pain at the thought of her dying; but he does.

Logan reaches in his pocket and pulls out his keys.

At night, the rhythm of the hospital slows. It is quiet except for the occasional rattle of a stretcher being pushed down a hall. At the end of the hall in a room, a lone occupant sits at the bedside of a petite teenager. He is remembering all the things they did together and how vital and full of life she was… before the cancer. God he thinks, she was so small to begin with. Now the cancer has taken away even more weight and her beautiful blonde soft hair. She is so pale and so still. She is never still, always moving, always thinking. He kisses her hand and says, "Who's your daddy?" He starts to cry.

A soft feminine hand touches his shoulder waking him. Keith looks up and sees Lynn Echolls standing beside him. She holds out a coffee and says, "How are you holding up?"

Keith takes the coffee gratefully and says, "I keep thinking she is going to wake up and say 'What's up Pops?' in that sweet voice of hers."

Lynn sits in the chair beside Keith. After a few minutes of comfortable silence, she says gently, "Do you remember when Lilly dared Logan to jump off the pool house roof at Veronica's surprise party?"

Keith looks over at Lynn. He nods.

She laughs a little and says, "Logan was standing on the edge of the roof. You and Aaron ordered him to get back down remember?"

Keith smiles a little and nods again.

Lynn says, "I just knew Logan was going to jump off when all of sudden there was this little voice saying, 'Logan Echolls, don't you dare jump off that roof and spoil my party.' There stood little Veronica with her hands on her hips looking angrily up at Logan. "

They both laugh a little at the memory.

Lynn says, "Her little forehead was wrinkled she was so mad. Logan looked down at her and then she said, "You don't have to do every stupid thing Lilly dares you to do Logan. Now come back down that ladder and swim in the pool with me."

Lynn laughs and says, "Do you remember what Logan did?"

Keith says, "He came back down the ladder and went over and kissed her forehead and told her he was sorry he almost spoiled her party. Then he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder and ran to the pool and jumped in."

He and Lynn smile. Lynn says, "The kids think Lilly was the leader of their group and maybe she was. But really Veronica was the glue that held them together. She kept Lilly a little under control; she kept Duncan away from Celeste; and she was Logan's anchor."

Lynn sitting next to Keith, looks him in the eye and says, "We moved to Neptune to get Logan away from the LA life he was starting to lead. He was always in trouble. Once he became friends with Veronica, he was grounded and happier. Now that he and Veronica aren't friends anymore, he is back to being in trouble and angry all the time."

She leans closer to Keith and puts her hand on his arm. She says, "How he treated her after Lilly died was very wrong. I am mostly to blame. I should have been his anchor and I haven't been. He is alone and lost Keith. I'm his mother and I let it happen."

She gets tears in her eyes. Keith holds her hand and says, "It's not too late for Logan Lynn. I will help you."

Lynn nods and looks over at Veronica. She says, "Veronica had you to anchor her Keith."

Keith says, "She is my anchor Lynn."

They both look over at the pale, still young woman in the bed.

The tall, young man stands watching through the window and listening. He had smiled when his mother told the story of Veronica demanding he climb down off the pool house roof. When his mother said that Veronica was his anchor, he felt like he was hit by a lightning bolt. He knew immediately she was right. He knew that he needed Veronica.

He looks over at her and sees that she has opened her eyes. She is looking at the ceiling. He sees Keith and his mother stand to lean over her bed. He sees her heart rate slow down on the monitor. Instantly he knows what is happening. He knows that Lilly is calling Veronica. He knows that Veronica is going to Lilly.

Without further thought he rushes into the room and yells, "No Ronnie, no." The two adults in the room look at him in shock. He ignores them and rushes to the other side of Veronica's bed. He pulls back the covers and reaches for her. He drops on the bed beside her and turns her from looking at the ceiling. He looks into her face and says, "No Ronnie. Stay here with us. It isn't time for you to be with Lilly." He shakes her gently and says, "It's not time to go yet. Stay Ronnie. Don't go to Lilly. I need you Ronnie. Please. Please stay with me. I need you. Don't go." he pleads. He pulls her into his arms and he keeps repeating, "Please stay Ronnie. Don't go. I need you. We all need you."

Keith recovering from his shock, reaches towards Logan. He says, "What are you doing?"

He feels Lynn's hand grab his arm and she says, "He is giving her another reason to stay." She turns him towards the monitor and Keith sees that Veronica's heart rate is back up. He looks over at Veronica and sees that her eyes are closed and Logan is holding her in his arms. He is still murmuring for her to stay and that he needs her.

Keith looks over at Lynn who has tears in her eyes. She says quietly, "Maybe she needs him too?"

Keith reaches for Veronica's hand and plops back down in the chair. He knew when he saw her eyes open and her heart rate slow that she was dying. He is still processing what he has seen. He looks over at Logan and says, "What did you mean when you told her not to go to Lilly?"

Logan looks over at Mr. Mars and says, "The other night I overheard her talking to Lilly at her grave. She was telling Lilly that she knew that she would come for her when it was her time and she wasn't afraid." Logan pauses and then says, "I couldn't let her go to Lilly. I just couldn't."

The door opens and they see the nurse rush into the room. She looks at the monitor and sees Logan on the bed holding Veronica. She walks over and adjusts the IV and cables around Veronica.

Logan has turned on his back and Veronica's head is on his shoulder. He has his arms wrapped around her. Logan looks at the nurse and says, "Veronica is not going to die. She's staying here with us."

The nurse smiles at Logan and pulls a blanket up over Veronica. She says quietly, "I hope so."

Logan looks at Veronica sleeping in his arms and says, "I know so."