Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, alerted or favorited this fic!

I do not own veronica mars, if I did LoVe would have had a happy ending and MaDi would have had the opportunity to happen.

I have said this before, but just to reiterate...if you are a Duncan fan, this is probably not the story for you.

When Dick and Mac arrived in Miami they went straight to the baggage claim where they were supposed to meet CW. As he came into view Dick stopped suddenly and refused to move.

"Dick, is there a reason you seem to be glued to the floor?" Asked a confused Mac.

"Uh, Mac, I think I need to tell you something." He replied sheepishly.

"Am I going to be mad?" She was already a little peeved actually, on the plane he'd kept bugging her about joining the mile high club, she'd finally agreed just to shut him up, although in the end it had ended up being well worth it.

"No, but you have to promise you won't laugh."

"Ok, I won't." This should be good she thought.

"Clarence Weidman scares the shit out of me." Dick confessed.

"What?" Mac asked, barely able to contain her laughter

"Ever since we were kids. He's just so mean and unfriendly, he yelled at me once and I didn't go back to the Kane's house for like 6 months."

"Dick, what did you do to make him yell at you? The truth please."

"Ok, so I may have hung Duncan over the balcony by his feet."

"Dick! I'm surprised he only yelled at you. But you're older now, maybe not wiser, but older and he knows that so you have no reason to be afraid of him and he is not going to hurt you, ok. He's harmless. "

"Are you sure?"

"100%, don't worry Dick I'll protect you." Said Mac while doing her best wonder woman impression.

He smiled a little and grabbed her hand. "Ok, I'll take your word for it, but if he kills me... I blame you."

As they walked forward Mac couldn't help the laugh that escaped her mouth, or the second one that escaped when Dick gave her a dirty look.

The car ride to Meg's was awkward to say the least, Mac had never seen Dick act this way. He didn't say a word for the whole ride and kept randomly glancing over at CW from the passenger seat. CW caught him twice, making Dick fidget uncontrollably. Mac just sat in the back and enjoyed, it was like dinner and a show, or at least it would have been if they were eating at the time.

When they arrived at Meg's, Dick was the first one out of the car and he practically ran to the front door, tripping over 3 steps on his way. Mac couldn't wait to tell Veronica about Dick's CW related phobia.

When Mac reached Dick he grabbed her hand as they followed CW inside and found Meg sitting on a couch in the middle of a large open room. When she saw them she immediately jumped up and ran to them, she screamed Mac's name and was practically bouncing when she got to them, hugging Mac mid-bounce. Meg knew Mac wasn't really the bouncing type, but she didn't care she was just overjoyed to see a familiar face.

But then Meg realized that Dick was standing right next to Mac and it took her only a few more seconds to realize that he was holding her hand. She stopped suddenly, confusion taking over her face.

"What's going on here?" She said while pointing at their hands and then she whispered to Mac. "Did you lose a bet?"

Mac laughed a little and shook her head no and before Meg knew what was happening Dick had pulled her into a bear hug lifting her off the floor and spinning her around. "It's so awesome to see you Meggy!"

Practically choking in his grip she breathed out. "You too Dick."

When he put her down she looked at Mac again. "It looks like I'm not the only one with some explaining to do."

It took 20 minutes for everyone to settle in and then another 15 for Mac to tell Meg about how her and Dick got together and even after Mac's explanation, Meg still didn't believe it was for real. Mac eventually gave up and they finally got down to business.

CW hadn't filled Meg in on everything that had happened in Neptune the day before so Mac relayed the story to her and after she was done, Meg told them about seeing Duncan in Australia and his reaction when he realized it actually was her.

Then came the apology. "I am so sorry Mac, I never meant to put you guys in that position. I don't know what I was thinking."

"I know you didn't do it on purpose Meg, but we need to know why you did it. You knew when we agreed to help you that you would never be able to see them again, that was part of the arrangement. CW has even been supplying you with pictures and information about their life in Australia. So why after only 18 months, or I guess it was 16 months, would you risk everything we had done for you?"

Meg had started to cry by then and in between sobs she finally answered. "I ...don't... have an...answer... for that."

"What?" Mac was sure she had heard wrong.

"I don't have... an answer for that. I went….I went because...I just had to see for myself that they were ok...I'm so sorry." Meg's tears had turned into a torrential down pour and her small body was shaking. Almost immediately Dick had gotten up and gone to comfort her, CW had left the room to give Meg some privacy and Mac had looked on beginning to feel guilty. She'd been expecting some grand revelation from Meg, like she wanted Duncan back or she was dying of cancer and wanted to see her daughter one last time. But that wasn't it, there were no dramatic situations involved, just a mother who missed her family and wanted a look at the life she had given up.

"Meg I'm sorry."

"You don't have anything to be sorry for, I should have just let it go but I didn't and I have caused you all so much trouble, I just hope you all can forgive me someday. Will you tell Veronica, Logan, and Wallace that I'm sorry?"

"Actually, you can tell them yourself Meg." Meg stopped crying at Mac's words.

"What?"

"We're bringing you home with us." That was the last thing Mac said because Meg began to cry even harder than she had before.

But it wasn't because she was happy that she was going home, or that Mac wasn't mad, she was crying because she felt guilty. She had just lied to Mac and now she would have to lie to everyone else.

Logan

"Hey V!"

"Yeah?" She asked as she walked back into my bedroom. "What's up?"

"Mac just called, they're heading back first thing tomorrow. Meg didn't have any helpful info, so they're getting her a new, or I guess newer, identity just in case Duncan's watching for either of her other names and then they will be on their way home. CW is gonna leave later tomorrow evening after tying up some loose ends for Meg."

"Did she say why she did it?"

"Well...kind of."

"What do you mean by 'kind of'?"

I sighed, I knew she wasn't going to be happy. "She didn't have a reason."

"How could she not have a reason, she put herself and everyone we love in jeopardy? There has got to be a reason."

Veronica was getting mad, she had every right to be, Meg had put the people that meant the most to her in danger and it also didn't help that mother's who desert their children was a touchy subject for her, well me as well. But hers had come back, and had done a lot of damage in that short time. I know she had said she understood Meg's decision at the time, but I always wondered if she harbored some animosity.

"Ronnie…she realized what she had left behind, she just wanted to see them for herself, to know for sure that she had made the right decision. I know your mad right now, so am I, but put yourself in her shoes. What would you have done?"

"Well, I wouldn't have put my friends in danger that's for sure."

"Not even if you thought you could do it without being caught? Tell the truth Veronica."

"Ok, so I would have done the same thing, but I wouldn't have gotten caught." Her anger had turned to a pout and I couldn't help but smile a little, I knew she hated when people proved her wrong.

"Thank you for being honest sugarpuss, I know its not your strong suit to admit when you are wrong. So just promise me you won't rip into Meg when you see her, ok?"

She was still pouting, but she agreed anyway. "Ok, I promise I won't rip into Meg when I see her. Happy now?"

I pulled her to me and found the sweet skin of her neck with my lips, I had always loved it when she pouted like that. "Yes, very happy." I moved slowly down to her collar bone. "When are you and Wallace leaving to talk with Duncan?"

My hand began to wander up her thigh and under her skirt and I could practically hear her heart racing. "He'll be here in an hour to go with me."

As I slid my hand inside her panties she gasped and I just smiled…"I guess we have some time to kill then."

Veronica

I was far from surprised when I read the back of the envelop Duncan had given me and saw the Grand's number written on it. It wasn't like he had a home to go to and I figured he would want to be as close to the action as possible.

Wallace and I didn't talk in the elevator on the way to Duncan's room, we just stood there in silence, neither of us really knew what to expect when we got there and and uneasy feeling had taken us over. We walked down the hall, ound the door to his room and I just stood there, gathering up the courage to knock. After a few minutes of nothing Wallace went ahead and knocked for me, I think he wanted this to be over with as soon as possible.

He knocked twice and Duncan almost immediately opened the door, I don't think he even noticed Wallace was there, he just stared straight at me, with that unsettling smile he seemed to have developed in the time he had been gone.

"I've been expecting you, come on in Veronica." That's when he finally noticed Wallace standing right next to me, he looked angry for about a second but covered it well. "You too Wallace."

He moved aside and we both walked into the hotel room, it was a lot smaller than Logan's, it was still a suite with a separate bedroom, but it didn't have the elegance of Logan's either.

Wallace and I sat down on a small couch across from where Duncan had sat down. I didn't see Lilly anywhere and Duncan seemed to notice me searching the room for any trace of the toddler, so he answered my silent question. "She's with a baby sitter."

That surprised me. "Oh, so you've been back in town for two days and you already have a baby sitter lined up. That seems a little too trusting on your part, letting a stranger take care of your child, especially considering the fact you're wanted for kidnapping."

He laughed at me which I wasn't really expecting. "She isn't with a stranger Veronica, I still have friends here in Neptune, you know."

I hadn't really thought of that, I wondered who he would have trusted to not only watch his daughter, but to not reveal his whereabouts to the authorities, but Duncan spoke again before I could do anymore digging in the back of my mind for an answer.

"So are you going to tell me where Meg is, or is this just a social call?"

He was trying to be nice. But that was just it I thought, he was trying. There really was more to this, Logan was right he really had changed. Duncan had always been so caring, and sweet, almost innocent in a way, all of that was gone. I mean he was putting on a good show, but I knew better, I had noticed it a little the night before too, I just hadn't said anything. At one time I had known him well enough to be able to see the differences in the way he acted now.

He didn't look at me the same. Now he looked at me like he could see right through me, like I was a present he couldn't wait to rip the paper off of. There were even differences in the way he said some words, like the way he said my name; it used to sound sweet and loving when he would say 'Veronica, ' now it had frustration and passion behind it. It was really quite bothersome to me and I was beginning to wonder if Mac was right, if maybe he was obsessed with me.

"Well this isn't a social call, I can tell you that for sure."

He didn't look mad or disappointed he just continued to stare at me. "So where is she Veronica? Or are you still claiming that she's dead, that Logan didn't help her disappear."

"No Duncan, I know what happened, Logan told me the truth last night. Meg is alive, you were correct in that assumption."

"Then tell me where she is."

"We want to know what you want out of this first. If you have any intention of hurting Meg, in any way, she will disappear again and this time no one will be able to find her. We won't even know where she is."

"You want to know what I want? Tell me everything you know, and I will tell you what I want." He was still so calm, it was really unsettling, any normal person would at least have started to show some frustration, but he almost seemed withdrawn or removed from what was going on.

"That's not the way it works Duncan, you know that. We have the upper hand, you want to know what we know and we are willing to trade that information. That's how it's gonna work, or we can just leave and save everyone the trouble of prolonging this." I went to stand up and Wallace did the same, but Duncan stopped us quickly.

"Ok, I'll share, I always have been fond of this game. So I'll show you mine and then you will show me yours."

The comment made my stomach turn, I knew he wasn't talking about information, so I decided to hurry things along. "So what do you want Duncan?"

"How about I tell you the first part now…and the second part after you're done?"

I was starting to get tired of his games. "Fine, lets just get on with it."

He took a deep breath and relaxed back in the chair. "I want her to move to Australia and I want her to take shared custody of Lilly. I will stay in Australia as well, I don't intend to leave Lilly's life, I just want to have the opportunity to live my own life as well. I want to have the things I've missed out on for the last year and a half." He looked at me when he said the last part and t felt like an unspoken, I want you Veronica. But I kept my mouth shut, I had a feeling I knew what the second part was going to be.

"So that's the first part, that's all you want? For Meg to have an active part in Lilly's life?" I wasn't sure I really believed that, but if it was true, maybe it meant he wasn't completely unredeemable.

"Yes, I'm not going to walk out on Lilly, I just want Meg to take responsibility for her daughter. That way both Lilly and I will get what we need. She will have her mother and I will be able to have somewhat of a more normal life, do the things I haven't been able to do as a full time parent."

Ok, I was wrong about the redeemable part. "So if we agree to this and Meg agrees to this. You will not turn Logan or anybody else in for fraud, and you won't tell the Manning's where Meg is or that she is alive?"

"Correct, I will not cause legal troubles for anyone, besides going to the authorities would cause problems for me as well."

No shit, but he could easily have the information leaked to the press without his involvement, it wouldn't be that hard to do. And the press would have a field day with this one considering Logan's past. I could see the headline now; Troubled Echoll's offspring aids friend in disappearance and fraudulent death.' That, would not be good.

"Well, we will have to speak to Meg first, but I think all of that can be arranged. I think she would actually be happy about that."

"I'm willing to wait, but not for long and I believe it is your turn now Veronica...Oh, and just to make it clear, I know all about Mac's, CW's, and Wallace's involvements in this so don't leave anything out."

Apparently Logan had been right, he suspected everyone except Dick and I. So, I told him how everything was done, where she had been and what she had done, of course not the exact details. The only thing I left out was my involvement. Duncan just sat there listening, he didn't move a muscle the entire time and he never once took his eyes off of me. I was unbelievably uncomfortable by the time I was done and when I was finished there was just silence for a few minutes.

"So is that it then?" He asked, finally breaking the silence.

"Yes, that's it."

"Well I'm impressed, they seemed to have it all planned out perfectly. Its almost too bad Meg had to go screw it all up for them isn't it?"

It was meant as a question, but I didn't bother to respond, so he continued. "Well I guess I better make good on our agreement and inform you of my second request."

"What is it Duncan? What do you want from us?" I knew what was coming and I wasn't looking forward to it.

"I would have thought that was obvious by now Veronica. I don't want anything from them, I just want you. I want you to come back to Australia with me, I want us to be together again."

I could feel Wallace stiffen at my side. I had almost forgotten he was there and I was really glad he had come now. He was getting ready for a fight and I could tell, so I tried to be as nice and sweet as I possibly could be while still being firm.

"That's not going to happen Duncan. I'm sorry, but I will not be going to Australia with you, or anywhere else."

He didn't look mad, actually not even surprised, he seemed to be expecting that answer. "Why not? You don't have anything keeping you here. You can go to school there, you can even bring your dad if you want, I'll take care of you. You won't want for anything ever again."

"Duncan, I have a lot keeping me here, I love school, I have my friends here, my dad and he'll probably stay here the rest of his life. But most of all I have Logan here and I won't leave him."

And that's what did it, that was what made his composure slip and I saw the rage. It may have only been for a few seconds before he concealed it again but it was there, I saw it and by the way Wallace shot to attention, so did he.

Duncan finally replied but he was having a little more difficulty masking the anger in his voice than he had in his appearance. "So you're still with him then? Even after he lied to you? This wasn't some tiny little white lie Veronica. He took a friend from you, he caused our breakup. How could you let that slide? You're Veronica Mars for god sakes, you don't let anything slide."

Ok that hurt...because he was right. But I was trying to change, he didn't know that of course, but Logan was worth it for me. Duncan just didn't know me anymore.

"I've changed Duncan, I've realized that you can't just give up when it gets hard. I've missed out on too much because of all the times I just ran away instead of facing my problems. And I know he helped Meg leave, but he did it to help her. He was doing something he thought was right and he may have lied, but he did it to protect her. And you and I would have broken up regardless, it was never going to last with us, we both knew that. I didn't love you anymore Duncan."

Have you ever said something you really wished you hadn't?

Something where you would have given anything to take it back?

To never have had it happen?

Well this was one of those moments. I knew it the minute the words left my mouth and Wallace did too because he grabbed my hand and started to pull me up to leave, but Duncan stopped us.

"You're wrong Veronica. You are so very wrong." He didn't look mad, or angry or dejected, he had no expression at all and it was one of the scariest things I had ever seen. I wanted to run away and I never want to just run away. As this went through my mind I realized he was still speaking. "He won't make you happy Veronica. He can't, you don't love him, you love me, you've just forgotten…His lying will became too much for you again, just like it has every time before, you and I both know it."

"No Duncan, you are wrong. I do love Logan, I love him with all my heart and nothing will ever change that." The conversation was over as far as I was concerned so I stood up still clutching Wallace's hand. "I think we're done here, it's time to go Wallace… Duncan, I'll talk to Meg and we'll let you know what she decides."

When I turned to walk away, he was still expressionless but he had looked in my eyes and repeated what he had said.

"You're wrong Veronica. You are so very wrong." And with that we left.

After the door had closed behind us we started to run, we didn't even bother waiting for the elevator we just ran all the way back to Logan's suite, up six flights of stairs and down two hallways.

I just couldn't get there fast enough.

I just couldn't get to Logan fast enough.

Logan

Logan was sitting in his bedroom waiting for Veronica and Wallace to return from their rendezvous with Duncan. He was getting nervous, they'd been gone for a long time and he decided that if they weren't back in 30 minutes he was going after them.

He was also a little frustrated, but that was for different reasons.

He'd decided to put his free time to good use and try to dig up dirt on Duncan, who had been using the alias James Castle while he was in Australia. But Logan hadn't had any luck at all, he wasn't able to get to any of the police records he knew there were or any of his medical records. He knew he probably should be having Mac do this….but he'd wanted to try at least.

What confused him the most though was that he couldn't find any record of any of the altercations he had heard about. He Knew CW hadn't lied, CW himself had been the one to 'make them go away,' but there was no paper trail at all.

He knew of three big ones for sure that should have made the local news, but they hadn't and he was beginning to think there was more to this than he had originally thought when Veronica and Wallace burst through the door to his suite.

She ran straight to him, throwing herself into his arms and he pulled her close and stroked her hair as she held on to him for dear life. He tried to pull away a little and find out what happened, but she tightened even more around him. "I just need you to hold on to me right now. I need to be reminded that you aren't going anywhere. Ok?"

"Ok, I'm happy to oblige." He pulled her over to the couch and when he sat down she practically curled around him. He was worried, she rarely acted like that, the last time he remembered her doing it was that night on the roof after Beaver had jumped.

He looked at Wallace who had sat down as well and he didn't look very happy.

"Wallace, how about you fill me in on what exactly happened to make my superhero girlfriend act this way."

Duncan

"She's wrong."

That's all Duncan kept saying over and over to himself for the next five minutes after the door had slammed behind them.

And then his rage had erupted finally and the hotel room looked like a hurricane had gone through it.

In one small moment of lucidity he thought to himself that he was glad Lilly hadn't been there, but that lucidity had only lasted for a moment.

His mind had finally moved on from Veronica being wrong and now he just couldn't believe that she had stayed with Logan. She doesn't trust anyone, that's why they broke up before. How could she just change like that? And for him, for Logan!

"She was supposed to change for me!" He said aloud.

Was that what she really wanted?….Logan, Mr. 'punch first ask questions later." That couldn't be what she wanted. He was a lunatic and hadn't he just heard that Logan had beaten the crap out of that guy in the tape without even finding out if he had been the one to tape them? And then pummeled another guy right in front of her a few days later even though she told him not to?

Not to mention the fact that Logan had slept with Madison. Duncan knew how much Veronica hated Madison, Madison had done so many horrible things to Veronica, he didn't understand how she could have forgiven him for that.

No, this was ridiculous, she couldn't possibly want a guy like Logan., she couldn't possibly ever marry a guy like Logan.

No, she was supposed to marry the good guy, she was supposed to marry him.

But then he realized…

Maybe that was what she wanted.

She wanted someone that would protect her, violently if necessary.

Someone that would defend her honor, someone that would go after anyone that hurt her no matter what they did, no matter how big or how small.

It was then that Duncan knew what he needed to do.

It needed to be a grand gesture, something to prove he could do those things even better than Logan could.

There were plenty of people who had hurt her in the past, there was a lot to pick from.

But it had to be something that was sure to grab her attention…

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