A/N I swear, I have the best reviewers ever. That's not just my opinion, it's scientific fact. I'll break out the pie charts if necessary. ;)

Chapter 2

Duncan Kane sat looking out the window of his limousine, enjoying the view of the Pacific Ocean at sunset. The other four passengers with him chatted about this and that, providing pleasant background noise. Impulsively, he hit a switch next to him, lowering the tinted black divider so that he could speak to the driver.

"Hey, Al? Do you think you can drop us off right here?" he asked.

"Whatever you'd like, Mr. Kane," Al replied. He pulled over to the side of the road and parked the car.

As Duncan waited for Al to come around and open the door, his best friend Logan elbowed him in the side. "What the hell are you doing, man? I think this place is still, like, six blocks away."

Duncan shrugged. "I just thought it would be nice to walk alongside the ocean, for a bit."

Logan rolled his eyes, but he got out with the others when Al opened the door. Duncan's two sisters shot confused and slightly annoyed looks at each other; yet they waited silently as their brother gave instructions to the driver. When he was done, the five of them began walking slowly down the sidewalk. Logan glanced at his friend. "This little stroll would be a hell of a lot more comfortable if I weren't wearing a tux," he pointed out.

Duncan laughed. "Oh c'mon, man. You can't tell me this doesn't feel great after the shitty winter we had in New York." He gestured to their left, where orange and red clouds moved lazily across the sky. "I mean, look at that."

Logan turned his head to the side, taking in the sky, the ocean breeze and the distant sound of waves crashing; he secretly agreed that it was pretty amazing, but he'd never admit that to his friend. Instead, he shrugged and changed the subject. "So what exactly is it that you're dragging us to, anyway?"

"I told you, it's a charity ball," Duncan replied.

"Yeah, but for what charity?" Logan asked.

"Cancer." Duncan's younger sister, Madison, slowed her pace so that she could walk next to them. She stayed very close to Logan, letting her arm brush up against his as they walked. "It's always for cancer, isn't it?"

"No, not always," Duncan said, frowning. "I'm not sure what it's for, to be honest. All I know is that the mayor himself invited us. And Dad thought it would be a nice gesture if we went."

"Well, if Daddy thinks it's a good idea, I won't complain," Madison replied, smiling sweetly at her brother.

"Speak for yourself," Trina retorted. "I don't think Daddy's big plan was to have us arrive at the party all sweaty and exhausted." She threw a disgusted look backwards at Duncan. "Brilliant plan letting Al go, little brother. The next time you want to drop us off ten minutes away from the party, you can wear the heels."

"Do you want me to carry you, babe?" her husband asked. It wasn't a flip attempt at chivalry, but a serious offer. Conner Larkin was more than capable of carrying his wife the remaining three blocks. He was an actor well known for his physical attributes; quite a bit less known for having any real talent. Trina didn't mind. He'd been voted one of People's Sexiest Men Alive four years ago, and that was good enough for her.

Logan tried to bite his tongue, but cracking jokes about Conner was always far too tempting. "Make sure and keep your body really stiff when he picks you up, Trine. Let him get in a couple of good reps." He curled his forearms up and down, miming lifting weights. "Big McLargehuge here hasn't been to the gym in a couple of days, and I think it's starting to show."

Conner glanced down at his arms self-consciously, and Logan grinned. Madison laughed loudly to his right, placing her hand on his arm. "You are too funny."

It took quite a bit of willpower, but Logan managed to restrain himself from brushing her hand away. He was well aware of her crush on him, and he was running out of ways to let her down gently. The girl was about as subtle as a bulldozer, and seemed incapable of taking a hint. At first, he'd been flattered by her crush; now, it was getting to be a bit of a nuisance.

Logan turned away from her and focused on his best friend. "Seriously, man. What the hell are we doing here? I mean, I get that the old man wants you to learn the business. But do you really want to spend your time in this little tourist trap town? Can't you just commute from L.A. or New York? Isn't that the whole reason helicopters and planes were invented?"

Duncan just smiled. "Are you kidding me, dude? I finally get the chance to get out on my own, and you're giving me shit about it?" He grabbed his friend by the shoulders, shaking him vigorously. "Look at this place! Look at those waves… We definitely don't have those back east."

Logan glanced out at the ocean again. He'd surfed a lot when he was younger, but he hadn't gotten the chance to hit any decent waves in ages; he was itching to get out there. "Fine," he conceded. "I'll give you the waves. But what are we supposed to do when we want an edible slice of pizza?"

Duncan laughed, throwing an arm around his friend. "We'll fly to New York and get one," he promised. "But you can't bail on me. All right? One of the only reasons Dad is letting me do this on my own is because you're with me, and we both know it. I like it here. Can you try and like it too?"

Logan looked at his friend. Duncan rarely asked him for anything, and neither did Duncan's parents- although they had every right to. The Kane's had raised him and his sister like they were their own children, for the last three years. He owed them the world, and he'd do anything for them. Including waste away in some crappy little surf town. Logan nodded at Duncan. "All right, man. I'll try."

It was easier said than done. They'd just reached their destination, a single story stucco building with a twinkling white sign that announced itself as "The Albacore Club". The five of them walked inside, Logan trailing behind the others as he stopped to survey the scene; it was worse than he'd expected. A few dozen locals were uncomfortably clad in their "finest", while men and women inexplicably wearing polar bear ears passed around drinks and hors d'oeuvres.

Duncan, however, seemed inordinately pleased with their company. "This is so awesome, man. Look at how laid back everyone is, even in evening gowns and tuxes. Only in SoCal, huh? It's so nice to get away from the Muffy's and Taylor's of the world, isn't it?"

Logan shrugged, deftly grabbing a glass of champagne off a passing polar bear's tray. "All of the Muffy's and Taylor's I've known have loosened up quite nicely, with the proper persuasion."

"Tequila?" Duncan joked.

"Alcohol is completely unnecessary, when you know what you're doing," Logan smirked.

"Well," Duncan replied, "not all of us are blessed with your powers of persuasion." He glanced around the room, looking appreciatively at a pair of blondes who stood at the bar. Before he could point them out to his friend, Madison came over to them.

"Are you sure we're entirely safe here?" she asked, looking around her uncomfortably. "I don't think there's security here or anything. And the doorman barely even glanced at your invitation."

Duncan put an affectionate arm around her. He knew Madison was a bit of a brat, but she was his kid sister and he loved her just the same. "Don't worry. Logan and I won't let anything happen to you," he promised. Madison smiled at him, and then she turned and gave a very different sort of smile to his friend. Duncan frowned. His sister's crush on Logan hadn't escaped his notice, and he wasn't entirely pleased about it. At seventeen, Logan was only a year older than Madison; but he already had quite the reputation among the ladies at Claremont Prep.

Aside from that, the two of them were worlds away when it came to life experience. Madison had lived a pampered, sheltered life, rarely venturing far from their Upper East Side apartment in Manhattan. Logan had grown up the son of two actors, traveling to exotic locations and attending the most exclusive parties, when he was just a child. His parents weren't just any actors- they were Lynn and Aaron Echolls, the most famous Hollywood couple of their generation.

But when he was twelve, they'd been killed in a terrible car accident. Logan had been in the car with them, but he'd survived. Everyone called it a miracle. He and his younger sister Heather had been shuffled from one set of relatives to the next, all of them looking to profit from their vast inheritance. Jake Kane, his father's long-time friend, had stepped in as soon as he'd caught wind of what was going on. He'd finally gained custody when Logan was fourteen years old; he and Heather had been living with the Kane's ever since.

The Kane's were old money in New York, with ties to the Astor's and the Roosevelt's. But the Echolls' were Hollywood royalty. Logan's father, grandfather, and great-grandfather had all been actors- and many people were hungry to capitalize on that fame. Jake had become something of a business manager to his foster son; protecting him from the bottom feeders, teaching him how to recognize a good opportunity from a sham, instructing him how to invest his money wisely. At fifteen, Logan had produced his first film. It had been a massive hit, and it had been followed by many others. Over the last two years, his millions had quietly become billions. And Logan had managed to keep himself and his sister, who he was wildly protective of, out of the limelight.

He looked around the room and sighed. He missed Heather. She was home from school this week, and Logan had wanted her to come with them. But Jake and Celeste had thought it was a bad idea, and he'd had to respect their wishes. He wished he was back in New York with her; he hardly ever got to see her anymore. The last place he wanted to be right now was in this stuffy room, hanging around with a bunch of strangers. But Jake had asked him to stick close to his children, and he'd given him his word. Logan always kept his promises. He turned to Duncan. "I need a drink."

"You have a drink," Duncan pointed out, gesturing to his glass of champagne.

Logan downed the champagne in a few gulps and set it down on a nearby table. "Not anymore. C'mon."

They headed over to the bar, waiting briefly for the bartender to notice them. When he walked over, he surveyed them carefully. "What can I get you?"

"I'll have a Glenlivet. The 25, if you have it. Rocks."

"Same," Duncan said.

"Sure," the bartender replied. "Can I see some I.D.?"

Logan laughed shortly and turned to Duncan. "Is he serious?"

Duncan shrugged, looking uncomfortable. "He's just doing his job."

"Right," Logan said. He studied the bartender for a minute. He only looked to be a few years older than them, but there was a hard look in his eye that suggested he'd experienced more than he should have, at his age. Logan sized him up, wondering if he'd accept a bribe or if he'd take it as an insult. He took his wallet out of his pocket and pulled out his license, handing it to him without a word.

The bartender studied it for a minute. "This says you're 17."

"It sure does," Logan agreed.

He looked from Logan to Duncan and crossed his arms over his chest, making no move to get their drinks.

Logan pointed at the I.D. in his hand. "You're supposed to be looking at the name, pal, not the age."

He furrowed his brow, not appreciating at all being called "pal", or Logan's tone of voice. He'd recognized the Echolls name immediately; everyone knew that name. But he wasn't about to risk losing his job, just because a couple of rich white boys wanted to impress the ladies by sipping on their fancy scotch. "I don't know you," he told Logan, keeping his voice level but firm.

"So?" Logan asked, looking bored.

"So I'm not your pal," he said pointedly.

Logan stood up straight, no longer looking bored. His friend took hold of his arm, saying something to him that the bartender couldn't hear. But before things escalated any further, the owner of the Albacore Club, David, spotted the two young men. He recognized them at once and came hurrying over. David smiled brightly and gestured to Logan's license, which the bartender was still holding. "There's no need to worry about that tonight, Eli. Alright?" He gave him a meaningful look. "Go on and give that back to him now, and get these gentlemen whatever they'd like."

Weevil gritted his teeth and stared at his boss angrily, making no move to return the license. He was about three seconds away from punching David in the face, and then taking care of the smug rich boys in front of him. But then rational thought kicked in- he needed this legitimate job, to keep local authorities from getting suspicious about his other activities. And the extra cash don't hurt either. He exhaled and nodded slightly. "All right."

Logan smirked at Weevil, but said nothing as he took his license back and slid it into his wallet. He turned around and leaned his back against the bar as he waited for his drink, looking around him in distaste. If he was stuck here, the least he could do was get good and drunk.

xxXxx

Meg and Veronica stood at the bar, completely unaware of the altercation that had occurred just ten feet away from them. They hadn't even noticed the arrival of the infamous Duncan Kane and his friends. They were both facing out towards the dining area, watching their mother warily as she spoke to their aunt, Natalie Mackenzie. They'd been there for less than an hour, but Lianne was already on her fourth martini. Veronica groaned inwardly as she watched her mother stumble and fall into the arms of the mayor; her raucous laughter could be heard all the way across the room and over the music.

Veronica got Weevil's attention, and he came walking over to her with a big smile. "Hey, V. Lookin' fine, as always."

"What's up, Eli," she returned, smiling back at her friend. "What, no polar bear ears?"

"C'mon, girl," he said, raising an eyebrow. "You know me better than that. I told David exactly where he could shove those ears." He glanced down the bar, his expression darkening. "I wouldn't mind telling him again," he muttered. Weevil looked back at Veronica, running a hand across his smoothly shaved head. "Besides, they didn't exactly go with my hairdo."

"Well I think you'd still manage to make them look tough," she joked. "Hey, do you think you could maybe do me a favor?"

"You want me to slip some shots into your sodapop?" he asked with a wink.

"Maybe later," Veronica laughed. But then she glanced around, lowering her voice. "But for now, could you, um, maybe put a little less vodka in my mom's drinks?"

Weevil nodded at her, no hint of a smile on his face now. "Consider it done."

Not thirty seconds after she'd made the request, Lianne arrived back at the bar. She handed her empty glass to Weevil and turned to the girls with a big grin on her face. "Well I just heard some very interesting news," she informed them.

"What is it?" Meg asked.

Lianne threw an arm around each of them and turned them slightly, so they were facing the other end of the bar. "Do you see those two young men there?" The girls nodded, trying to twist their bodies away so they weren't so conspicuous; but their mother had a firm grip on them both. "Well," she continued, "guess who the one on the left is?"

"Um, Duncan Kane?" Veronica guessed dryly. She barely glanced at the young man, more occupied with trying to pull herself from her mother's grasp.

"Better!" Lianne cried. "That, my girls, is Logan Echolls! Son of Lynn and Aaron Echolls. Can you believe it? Sammy just told me that he's a billionaire! At seventeen! Isn't he the most gorgeous thing you've ever seen?"

Lianne, in her state of inebriated excitement, was speaking in a voice that carried quite clearly. The young man in question looked up at them, and Veronica blushed fiercely; she was sure he'd heard everything. They locked eyes for a moment; then he shook his head slightly and walked away. Veronica finally managed to push her mother's arm away, perhaps a bit more roughly than she'd intended. Lianne didn't seem to notice, intent on relaying all of the information she'd gathered.

"Did you see who else came in with them tonight? Conner Larkin. All of these celebrities, right here in Neptune! Isn't it exciting? Conner is married to Trina, Duncan's older sister, and I believe he brought his younger sister here tonight as well- although I didn't catch her name. Did you see Duncan, girls? There he is, you can see him clearly now that his friend has stepped away."

Veronica, mortified, glanced at Meg for support. But she was staring at something behind Veronica, a rather dazed look in her eye. Veronica followed her eyes. The object of her sister's attention was Duncan Kane, and he was staring at Meg right back. After a moment, he blinked a few times and gave her a rather shy smile. He approached the women slowly and cleared his throat.

"Hello," he said, addressing them all but looking at Meg. "I don't think we've been introduced. I'm Duncan. Duncan Kane. I just moved to Neptune a few days ago."

Lianne stuck out her hand, and he shook it politely. Just moments after she'd introduced herself and her two daughters, several other people approached the group. No one wanted to be left out. Veronica zoned out as Duncan became acquainted with a dozen or so people in a matter of minutes. She noticed that Logan had approached the bar again, but he was standing several feet away from their group. She watched him surreptitiously as he sipped on a drink that clearly wasn't soda. She wondered, briefly, how he'd pulled that off.

Her mother had been right about one thing; he was gorgeous. That couldn't be denied. And it seemed clear to Veronica that he was well aware of that fact. There was something in the way he was leaning against the bar, looking so effortlessly elegant in his tuxedo, that made her inexplicably angry. No one had a right to be that damn pleased with himself. And the expression on his face as he surveyed the scene around him, something between distaste and pure boredom, made her feel a bit defensive.

Logan finished his drink in one last gulp and glanced back over at Duncan. His friend was surrounded by the local riffraff now, and he looked as though he couldn't be happier about it. Logan sighed. It was going to be a very long night. He noticed Duncan's glass was empty; against his better judgment, he headed towards the group of people to try and get his friend's attention. When Duncan finally looked up, he had a wide smile on his face.

"Hey, let me introduce you to some people," he said excitedly. "This is Lianne Mars, and her daughters Megan and Veronica. I actually met their father the other day, remember I told you I got pulled over for-"

"Nice to meet you," Logan nodded, barely glancing at them. He took Duncan's glass from his hand. "I'll go get you a refill while you talk to your new friends."

But Lianne, never one to take a hint, spoke up. "I hope you boys like to dance. We got a great local band to play tonight, Satin Nuance."

"Dancing isn't really my thing," Logan said quickly. "Excuse me."

Veronica watched him walk away, slightly shocked by his poor manners. It was obvious that he didn't want to be there, and that he had no intention of making any friends. But the least he can do is try and be civil. She glanced at Meg again, but her sister was still busy looking dreamily into Duncan's eyes.

Duncan managed to move closer to her, while the others in the group continued talking about the band. "I have to go say hello to the mayor. But, um, when I'm done, do you maybe want to dance?" he asked.

Meg smiled up at him, cheeks flushed pink. "Yeah," she said. "That sounds good."

xxXxx

Over an hour later, the party was in full swing. Veronica headed over to the bar, thirsty from dancing. She chatted with Weevil for a few minutes as he got her a soda. None of her sisters understood why she was friends with him, not even Meg. She suspected they were all a little afraid of him. Being the ex-head of a motorcycle gang, he didn't exactly have the greatest reputation. Veronica knew he was still involved in all sorts of illegal activities; but she firmly believed that he had a heart of gold.

He'd saved her, once, from some unwanted attention at a beach party. She'd been a freshman, and Weevil had been a senior. Slightly tipsy on beer, she'd wandered away from the party to look at the stars and listen to the ocean. A beefy football player, a junior named Stan Cross, had followed her. He was drunk, and he wouldn't leave her alone. Despite her protests, he'd pushed her down onto the sand, kissing her and grabbing at her, ripping her dress. When she'd tried to scream for help, he'd slapped a hand over her mouth. Veronica had started to panic as she'd felt his hand moving up her thigh.

The next thing she knew, a shadow loomed over them. It was Weevil. He'd pulled Stan off of her and punched him in the mouth, knocking a couple of his teeth loose. And he'd kept on punching and kicking him, until Stan was a bloody, unconscious mess. When he helped Veronica up off the sand, she was shaking and dazed. Although they'd never spoken a word to each other before, she'd stumbled towards Weevil and wrapped her arms around him in a grateful hug.

He'd been startled, but he'd held her back tightly, stroking her hair gently as everything hit her and she'd begun to cry. He held her for a long time, waiting patiently as her cries died down into sniffles. Veronica pulled away from him and wiped her eyes. Weevil watched her silently as she calmly brushed the sand off of her dress and stood up straight, squaring her shoulders. He was impressed with her composure.

"What's your name?" she finally asked.

"Eli," he replied, wondering immediately why he was using his real name. The only people allowed to call him Eli were his grandmother and his niece.

"Thank you, Eli," she said, looking at him intently. "I'm Veronica. I'd appreciate it if you didn't say anything about this to anyone."

Weevil had glanced down at the bloody football player at his feet. Stan was a defensive end, and he had a lot of very large friends. "Yeah, well, I'd appreciate it if you didn't say anything about it, either."

"Never," she agreed. They'd been friends ever since.

Veronica sat down on a bar stool, sucking her soda out of a straw as she looked around the room. She noticed that Logan was back at the same spot on the other end of the bar, still sipping on his drink and looking bored. Aside from one occasion, when Veronica had seen a pretty blonde pulling him onto the dance floor, he hadn't strayed far from that spot all night. He'd made no attempt to talk to anyone, aside from the people he'd come there with.

Mandy came up to her then, distracting her from her observations. She sat down on the bar stool next to Veronica and looked at the dance floor a little wistfully. Like Logan, Mandy had also danced only once that night. Veronica turned to her sister. "It's a shame all of the guys are down in Cancun," she said, attempting to make her feel better. "There's hardly anyone here to dance with."

"It's not like anyone would ask me, even if they were here," Mandy replied matter-of-factly. She pulled her Kindle out of her bag, and within moments she was lost in an imaginary world.

Once again left with no one to converse with, Veronica glanced around the room for a diversion. When she spotted Duncan walking over to the bar, she turned quickly on her stool to face him. He and Meg had been dancing together all night; Veronica was hoping she'd get to hear what he had to say about her sister.

As soon as Duncan approached him, Logan set his drink down. "Finally. Come on, dude, let's grab your sisters and get the hell out of here."

"What? No way man, I'm having a great time. I was just coming over to get a drink." He got Weevil's attention, then turned to Logan. "Why are you being so lame tonight? You should get out there and dance."

"Here?" Logan scoffed. "I don't think so. Aside from the hot blonde you've already claimed, your sisters are the only other girls in here I'd be able to get within two feet of, without needing a flea bath afterward. And they're busy." He picked his glass up off the bar. "So, if I'm forced to stay here while you try and score, I choose to hang out at the bar and drink instead."

Duncan made a face. "I'm not trying to score. Meg's not like that. She's…amazing." He paused for a moment, accepting his drink from Weevil. He pulled out his wallet, leaving an extremely generous tip to make up for the little scene earlier. Then he turned back to Logan. "Dude, I know you're not blind. Look at how many gorgeous girls are here tonight." He glanced around the room. Spotting Veronica, he tapped Logan on the arm. "That's Meg's sister. Why don't you go talk to her, ask her to dance? She's seriously hot."

Logan looked up, barely glancing at her. "She's okay. Nothing to write home about."

"Are you kidding me?" Duncan asked incredulously. "She's a hottie and you know it."

"Apparently, we have very different standards," Logan replied dryly. "Besides, if she's so great, why isn't anyone else dancing with her? I'm not here to make some charity case feel better about herself."

Duncan stared at his friend, starting to get a little angry. "Dude, when did you become such a snob?"

Logan shrugged. "I can't help it if I have better taste than you."

Duncan shook his head. "You know what? If you want to sit here and be an obnoxious drunk all night, I'll just leave you to that."

"Thanks," Logan replied. He raised his glass in a mock toast, downing it in one gulp as Duncan walked away. He knew Duncan was right. He was drunk, and he was probably acting like an asshole. But he didn't care. He didn't want to be there, and he didn't give a shit who knew it.

Veronica, who had watched and listened to their interaction with interest, smiled to herself. Although momentarily disturbed by Logan's assessment of her, she'd quickly decided that she was rather pleased. She was now thoroughly convinced that her earlier suspicions about him had been accurate, and she loved being proven right. He was a rude, arrogant ass, and he'd just played the part to absolute perfection.

Logan glanced down the bar, looking for Weevil. But instead, his eyes met Veronica's. She was looking directly at him, and smiling widely. He stared at her, wondering if she'd overheard his conversation with Duncan… and then wondering, if she had heard him, why she was smiling like that. He watched as she stood up from her seat, still grinning. She looked away from him, waving at Weevil to get his attention. He came right over to her and they spoke for several minutes. When they were done, he leaned across the bar and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

He continued to watch her as she walked across the room. He realized, suddenly, that of all of the women there, she was the only one wearing a white dress; everyone else had opted for classic black. Something about that appealed to him. It showed that she was independent, confident in herself. And she wore it well, he had to admit. Her dress came to just above her knees, and it was tight enough to show off her body without being tasteless.

Veronica stopped in front of a girl who looked to be about the same age, a brunette with a bright blue streak running through her hair. She whispered something into the girl's ear, and then the two of them turned to where Logan was standing and started to laugh. He knew, then, that she'd definitely overheard him. He turned away.

Well, who the hell cares what she thinks about me? He glanced over at Weevil, who was still studiously ignoring him at the other end of the bar. Anyone who's that friendly with the help can't possibly be someone of consequence. Madison came over to him then, chattering in his ear about how dingy the bathrooms were, how terrible the band was, how she'd seen three dresses that were from last year's collection. He nodded, but he wasn't listening to a word. Instead, he turned back around and looked at Veronica. And for reasons beyond his comprehension, he continued to watch her for the rest of the night.

Thanks for reading, please review :)

P.S. I promise I'm not trying to be a tease by keeping certain couples (who will remain nameless, but may rhyme with Vogan and Leronica) from interacting, but I'm trying to stay as true to the book's plot as I can here. They'll be bantering away before you know it. In the mean time, we get intense staring of the Season 1 variety. And we all know where that leads…