Here's the final chapter. I tend to give Keith the words I would like to say. Forgive me if it's not what you think he'd say. I do try to stay true to the characters as best as I can. I hope you like it!

Chapter 40: Summer Ends

******Saturday Morning******

Veronica was awakened by the delicious smell of bacon. She quickly got up, went to the bathroom, and then headed into the kitchen. She took in the surprising scene at a glance.

"Okay, what's going on here? It's not my birthday anymore!" she exclaimed as she watched her dad stir the eggs he was scrambling.

"What? A father can't make breakfast for his one and only daughter?" Keith asked in mock outrage.

"Oh, he can. But he rarely does," Veronica replied dryly as she snatched a piece of the perfectly crisp bacon. Popping it into her mouth, she gave him a suspicious glance. "So where are you going and how long will you be gone?"

"Well, I will be going on a month book tour in a few weeks, but that's it. Our book is finally going to press!" he said happily as he raked some eggs into two plates and divided the bacon. Then he reached down and pulled a pan out of the oven.

Veronica was going to ask about the book, but she got distracted by the sight of hot biscuits. "Hot biscuits? You're kidding!" she exclaimed in disbelief. "Seriously, Dad. What's wrong? Are you going to make Cliff move in and chaperone while your gone or something?"

"Actually, I want you to think about staying at Alicia's. I don't like the idea of you all alone that long," Keith said.

"I suppose. As long as I can come home to my own place on the weekends at least. I'm not sure if Wallace and I can deal with so much togetherness. A break on the weekends may be necessary to my health," she remarked with a grin.

"As long as there are no overnight male guests," he said pointedly.

Veronica nodded. "So what's going on? Why the fabulous breakfast? Not that I'm complaining!" she insisted.

"Pour some juice and quit being so suspicious!" her dad admonished.

Veronica grudgingly complied. She didn't speak again until they were both sitting across from the other at the kitchen table.

"Did you have a nice time last night?" Keith asked.

"Wonderful! We went to this amazing Italian restaurant in San Diego called Cafe Luna. The Rossetti was actually better than Luigi's. We're going to have to go there sometime. It was, of course, pricier but so worth it!" she enthused.

Keith smiled. "It must be quite a place if it can eclipse your beloved Luigi's," he observed.

"Really great! Then we went to an Irish Pub called Patrick's. They have live music," she shared.

"Patrick's? I know that place! It's been years, but your mom and I went there a few times many years ago," Keith said.

"Really? Logan said it was one of his mom's favorite places to relax. She was friends with the owner or something," Veronica said.

They spent a few minutes eating in companionable silence before Keith filled her in on the book details. Both were excited that their story was going to be told in a way that couldn't be dismissed. For once, the truth would get out.

"I expect Lamb to be removed from office by the time I get back," Keith shared. "I agreed not to bring a law suit against Lamb and the entire department if he is removed."

"Do they want you to take the job again?" Veronica asked happily.

"Probably. If I do, I'll close down the office," Keith said.

"You can't do that! I'm finally old enough to take the P. I. examine. I can run it. We can turn down all those bail jumper jobs or you can hire one of your deputies to do those jobs," Veronica suggested.

"Maybe. We'll talk about it. I got to know that I can trust you to keep me informed, and I'm not sure I can trust you to not put yourself in danger," Keith said.

Veronica winced at his words but knew they were well deserved.

Then Keith decided to change the subject and said, "I went to Cassidy's arraignment Wednesday."

"You did? Why didn't you say something?" Veronica asked in surprise.

"I thought you deserved a birthday without any shadows," he said simply.

"So what happened?" Veronica asked.

Keith told her what occurred, and she listened without interrupting.

"So only the rape charge will stick?" Veronica asked, a bit surprised.

"Well, he's not fighting it, but I know Stevens—the man prosecuting the case. He doesn't like simply locking up juveniles, so I won't be surprised if they plead down to a lesser charge. He'll make sure Cassidy gets the help he obviously needs," Keith said.

"I see," Veronica said, not sure how she felt about that.

"At least it will save you from the publicity of a trial," Keith pointed out.

"True," Veronica said. She finished eating her eggs and took her plate and rinsed it in the sink.

"Honey, let's talk about some things," Keith said, getting up and putting his plate in the sink.

Veronica eyed him warily but waited for him to say something. When he gestured for her to follow him, she did and sat next to him on the couch.

"I want to talk about some things that have been bothering me since I found out about all the secrets you have been keeping from me," Keith said grimly.

Veronica sighed in resignation. She knew her dad's failure to give her the third degree for once had been too good to be true. "I knew the cool dad was just an act!" she teased.

Keith gave her a half smile—a note of apology in it. "It's hard to be cool when you find out the person you trust the most in the world doesn't trust you or respect you," he said frankly.

Veronica's mouth opened in disbelief. "What? I trust and respect you!" she insisted.

"You do? Then why didn't you trust me enough to tell me what had happened to you? Why didn't you give me the opportunity to be there for you?" her dad said without anger. He had let go of his anger, but he couldn't quite let the hurt go as easily.

Veronica looked guilty and reached and grabbed his hand. "I trust you more than I trust anyone. Nor do I respect anyone more than you!" she assured him, honestly.

Keith gave her a searching glance and then his eyes appeared tinged with sadness. "I believe you, honey. You don't trust much at all—that's the problem. And that breaks my heart."

"I'm getting better. I trust more people today than I did a year ago," Veronica pointed out.

Keith nodded. "That's good. But it doesn't change what really bothers me. What hurts me. What makes me examine our relationship. You want to do your own thing and don't want any interference from me. My experience and judgment are only handy when you don't have all the answers," he said quietly.

Veronica opened her mouth to protest; however, she was unable to form a reply. His obvious pain hurt her, but she didn't know what to say to make him feel better. He wasn't wrong—he knew her too well. Finally, she said, "I'm sorry."

He gave her hand an affectionate squeeze. "Veronica, you are the most courageous and capable woman I've ever known. I couldn't be more proud of you," he told her.

His words made her misty-eyed. Even now when she knew he was disappointed in her, his love never fails. Before she could say anything, he continued, "I wish so much that so many truly terrible things hadn't happened to you the past two years. No parent wants their child to be forced to grow up so soon."

"It's okay, Dad. I'm okay," Veronica assured him.

"I know you are, sweetheart. But I can't help but worry. I need to know what's going through your head. What you're thinking," Keith said.

"Okay," she said, nodding.

"I know things were bad for you after Lilly died, but I wished you had told me how bad they were. How bad Logan and the other kids were to you," Keith said.

"It wasn't more than I could handle. As for Logan, he lashes out in anger when he is hurt. He felt like I betrayed him. He's never had what you and I have, Dad. Aaron was physically abusive. I'm not sure if you were aware or not, but he was. And Logan looks to his close friends to be his family," Veronica explained.

"I'm not surprised that Logan was abused by that man. However, that makes me even more concerned about your relationship with him," Keith said.

Veronica protested, "Dad.."

Keith held up his hand, cutting her off. "Let me speak, please. I know Logan's important to you. And I know you are now an adult and have the right to make your own choices in life. I just want to share some of my own experiences and insight with you if you'll allow it," he said.

Veronica nodded. How could she deny him that?

"Children of abusive parents often become abusers—you know that. And you know that Logan has had a problem with his temper and his drinking. Neither are good combinations," Keith reminded her.

"I'm the daughter of an alcoholic. Does that mean I'm going to be a drunk?" Veronica pointed out.

"You don't have impulse control issues. If you did, I'd be concerned. Nor do you have a sense of entitlement or a blatant disregard for the law when it doesn't suit you," Keith replied without missing a beat. "Look, I know Logan's come a long way. I know you are probably the most important thing in his life, and he needs you. I'm not telling you to walk away from him. I'm just wanting to make sure that you think carefully before you give him your heart. Make sure he is worthy. Because I find it disturbing how selective you are about what you forgive and forget."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Veronica asked, a bit defensively.

"Well, let's take Duncan for instance. He was your first serious boyfriend and broke up with you without an explanation, right?" Keith asked.

"Basically," she replied with a frown.

"Did you find out why?" Keith asked.

Veronica squirmed and looked very uncomfortable. She never wanted to have this conversation with her father. However, she knew he deserved to know the truth. "He thought I was his sister. His mom told him about Jake and Mom," she said frankly.

Keith's eyes widened slightly in surprise, but he just nodded. "Well, we know that's not true."

She smiled. "Yep. You can't blame anyone but yourself for how I turned out!" she teased, trying to lighten the mood some.

Keith returned her smile. Then he continued, "But at Shelly's party, Duncan still believed you were siblings?"

Veronica nodded, the smile now gone. She didn't like to be reminded of this. It was better to never think about it, recalling how thinking they were siblings had made her literally lose her lunch.

"I'm not sure there's much good I can say about a man that is physically able to have sex with a girl he believes is his sister," Keith said in obvious distaste. "You were drugged and don't remember saying yes?"

"Well, no. I don't remember anything much after arriving at the party and waking up without my underwear on," Veronica said, rubbing a hand over her eyes as if shielding the memory.

Keith nodded. "In my opinion, what Duncan did was just as much rape as what Cassidy did," Keith said grimly.

Veronica was momentarily stunned by her dad's words. "What?" she asked in disbelief. "We were together for almost a year, and I loved him. He was drugged, too! It wasn't rape!"

"Honey, if he had been as impaired as you think, he wouldn't have been physically able to perform the sex act," Keith said as plainly as he could without making either of them more uncomfortable.

Veronica had never considered that before. How would she? She knew very little about this particular subject.

"It greatly disturbs me that Duncan Kane held onto such romantic feelings toward you when he really believed you were siblings. The cowardice of him not telling you what he suspected was bad enough, but that night at the party, he knew you were so out of it that you allowed Logan to drink shots off of you," Keith reminded her. "He knew you were not capable of giving permission. I'm not trying to make things worse for you, Veronica, but I want you to really think about the people in your life. I want you to really see them, so you're not blindsided ever again."

"I guess you have a point," Veronica said slowly. "I try not to think about what happened with Duncan because I don't know how to feel about it. I loved Duncan as much as an innocent girl could ever love her first crush, her first boyfriend, her first everything. To know I gave him my virginity and didn't remember it, really hurt. It confused me, and I didn't know what to feel. I still don't."

"You didn't give him your virginity. He took it, and he did so without your permission," Keith said firmly.

"Duncan would never truly hurt me, Dad. Or want me to be hurt," Veronica defended.

"Alcohol takes away our inhibitions, sweetie. It doesn't make you do things you wouldn't do sober. It just erases good judgment," Keith replied.

Veronica frowned as she considered what her dad was saying. She thought about what Duncan did when he was drugged at the party. Then she thought about what Logan did. The night of Shelly's party Logan had been drinking, but she didn't know that he was drunk. He humiliated her, but he hadn't actually hurt her. Then she thought about their summer together. She had asked him to back off from the PCHers, and he did. He had also laid off the drinking. Pretty much doing everything she'd asked him to do because he loved her. Veronica knew it. Duncan, on the other hand, had not only not told her his suspicious about their being related, but he hadn't told her about what happened between them at the party. Was it shame or guilt that kept him so silent?

"I want you to keep that in mind when dealing with Duncan. Know that he is a weak man to his core," Keith pronounced.

"Don't you think you're being a bit harsh?" Veronica protested.

"No, I don't. You're looking at him through the memories you have of Lilly. You extend your love of her to him. But, honey, Lilly Kane was not a good person. None of the Kanes are," Keith said flatly.

Now Veronica was upset. "Don't talk about Lilly like that, Dad! She's not here anymore to defend herself!" Veronica yelled.

"And why is that? She was having an affair with her boyfriend's father and thought it'd be fun to blackmail the man, not realizing how dangerous he was," Keith pointed out.

"I know Lilly had her issues. I know she was wrong in how she treated Logan, but that's not all she was. She was so much more! She was my best friend!" Veronica reminded him, wanting to cry. Her father had never said a disparaging word about Lilly before.

"I know that, honey, but I'm not sure she would've remained that if she had lived," Keith responded bluntly. "You and she were raised very differently. She treated people that she was supposed to care about callously. You never mistreat people you care about. Eventually, you would've grown tired of her cruelty and her blatant disregard for others."

"How can you say that to me?" Veronica said, clearly upset.

"Because I'm concerned with this tunnel vision you have with the people you care about. You're quick to judge and quick to defend. You were dating Logan and then quickly decided he must've killed Lilly. Was that a reflection on what you feared about him? You knew him for several years. Did you really think he was capable of killing Lilly? If so, how can you date him now? What's different?" Keith asked bluntly.

Veronica was taken aback by the direction of the conversation. She knew her father had a lot of misgivings, but she had never truly suspected the depth of them. "I know him now. Before it was always the four of us, but I never truly got to see much behind the facade he hides behind. I was afraid to trust him because he'd hurt me a lot since Lilly died. It was my fear accusing him, not real belief in his guilt," Veronica explained, clear on that point.

Keith nodded. "That's good to hear. If you have doubts about the kind of man Logan is or the kind of man he's going to be, you need to take your time. A lot's happened to you the past week, and I want you to take time to process it. Don't push it down and compartmentalize it like you normally do with everything," Keith said.

"I do tend to do that. It's just easier to not be distracted with drama," Veronica said.

"It's understandable. But if you don't take time to process all the facts, you can miss something important. You can be blindsided like I know you already have been more times than you deserve," Keith said.

Veronica gave out a loud sigh. "Why does everything have to always be so hard?" she asked her dad.

He put his arm around her and gave her shoulders a squeeze. "Because we live in a world with people. People always make it hard. Sometimes, though, working through the tangles and overcoming every obstacle that comes your way makes things easier. It makes things worthwhile. Like you do everything else, you're going to get through this, sweetheart. You'll make the decisions that are best for you. Just make sure that how you decide to handle your relationship with Logan is based on what's best for you now and in the future. Not just what you feel in the moment—feelings change. But choices you make can impact your future. They can stick with you much longer than the average high school relationship," Keith said.

Veronica looked up at him, pulling away. "So you think I'm average?" she asked, offended.

"There's nothing average about you! There never has been. But rarely do high school couples spend the rest of their lives together," Keith pointed out.

"Mom didn't marry her high school boyfriend, but she obviously never got over him," Veronica reminded her dad, a sour expression on her face.

"Yeah, she made a choice. Now we are living with the choice and the negative effects of it. She couldn't let the memory of what she had with Jake go. She couldn't move on. It seems that Duncan had the same problem with you. Has Logan let go of Lilly? Does he still carrying around the hurt and anger of her betrayal? His dad's?" Keith asked.

Veronica was once again unprepared to answer her father's probing questions.

Keith, sensing her discomfort and confusion, backed off. "Okay, that's enough. I'm not trying to upset you. I just want you to really take time to think. Your senior year is starting in another week, and I want you to have the senior year you deserve, so make sure you do what's best for you. What makes you happy," Keith said. He kissed her forehead and got up. "I'm off to take Alicia and Darrel to the zoo."

"Zoo? I thought that was our thing?" Veronica asked with a pout.

"It is. You can join us. Maybe Wallace will come, and we can make it a family outing," Keith said with an eager smile.

Veronica couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm. "So are we a family now? Things seem pretty serious between you and Alicia," Veronica inquired.

"Things are going well, but it's still early. And legally I'm still married to your mom," Keith reminded her.

"Well, maybe you shouldn't be anymore," Veronica said.

"Really? Are you sure? She might come back and decide to get help," Keith said.

Veronica shrugged. "She had her chance. She first chose Jake, then she chose the booze over me, then she chose to steal from us. It's time for us to let her go," Veronica said meaningfully.

Keith gave her a searching look before nodding. He knew what she was saying. It was his turn to let go. "So the zoo? Come with us," Keith suggested.

"Well, I'd rather not this time. I could use some Wallace time though, so I think I'll call him," Veronica said.

Her dad said goodbye, and Veronica went to get her phone. She was definitely in need of some Wallace time. He always brought her clarity.

******An Hour Later******

Veronica and Wallace watched Back-Up chase a bird into the water. Wallace had grumbled when Veronica called him an hour earlier insisting he didn't like to wake up before ten on a Saturday. She promised to buy him lunch after they spent some time on the beach.

"So what's up?" Wallace asked. "Are you okay?"

Veronica threw a ball for Back-Up to chase. "Yeah, I'm okay. I just had some things to work through, and I thought you could help me," she said.

"That's what I'm here for," he said. "Ying to your yang."

"We are different true, but you know how to be happy to live in the moment. I want that," Veronica said wistfully, surprising Wallace with her honesty.

"Well, you kind of live in your head a lot, so I'm not sure you can ever be as laid back as me," Wallace said with a grin.

"I know, but still," Veronica said.

"So what's got you tied up in knots? The Cassidy thing?" Wallace asked.

"No. Dad said some things to me today about my relationships with Logan and Duncan," Veronica shared.

"What did he say? Does he want you to stay away from the 09ers?" Wallace asked, not blaming Keith if he took that stance. Sometimes Wallace thought Veronica's life would've been so much better if she had never been friends with any of the 09ers, Lilly especially.

"I'm sure he'd rather I stay away from all of them," Veronica said dryly. "But I can't break up with Logan. He's become too important to me."

"He's not so bad. Better than he was," Wallace said.

"But Dad reminded me of some of his bad tendencies. Wants me to be cautious," Veronica said.

"That's understandable, isn't it?" Wallace asked.

"Yes. I don't blame him, but he doesn't know Logan the way I do. No one does," Veronica said.

Wallace stopped and looked at her. "Are you safe with him? Isn't that your dad's main concern?" Wallace asked.

"Yes, Dad thinks he's a hothead who has impulse issues and no respect for authority," Veronica said sourly.

"And that's wrong how?" Wallace said a bit incredulous.

"It's not wrong; it's just not right either," Veronica insisted. "Logan is more than a hothead, and he doesn't go off for no reason. Nor is he one of those guys always looking for a fight. And he does respect authority. He's very respectful to Lettie, and he always was to his mother. And my dad. He just doesn't suffer fools nor has a tolerance for stupidity."

"So what's the problem?" Wallace asked.

"Dad thinks that what Duncan did was rape, too. He says that Duncan couldn't have been so out of it if he was physically able to have sex with me. He knew I wasn't myself due to Dick revealing that Logan was drinking shots off of me at the party. So Duncan had to have known I was too impaired to give permission for sex," Veronica shared.

"He did what?" Wallace demanded, showing a rare glimpse of genuine anger and outrage.

"Old news," Veronica said dismissively.

"To you, maybe," Wallace said in disgust. "I'll never understand women. You complain about the bad boys when they break your heart but want them anyway. Us nice guys always finish last!"

"Aren't you dating a cute blonde?" Veronica inquired with an arch of her eyebrow.

Wallace grinned. "Yes, but we're keeping things light. Just having fun. You, on the other hand, don't know how to do either of those things!" Wallace admonished.

"We have fun!" Veronica protested.

Wallace laughed and shook his head. "We enjoy ourselves, but we're off topic. So your dad believes it was rape?" he said, prodding her.

Veronica nodded. They walked over to a bench and sat down, watching her dog play. No one was as carefree as Back-Up. A part of her really envied him. "He says that Duncan had to have known I wasn't in a position to give permission. If Duncan thought I was just drunk, he still knew I was impaired. He should've known I wouldn't have wanted my first time to be like that," Veronica shared. "Dad also doesn't like the fact that he had dumped me without a word. Basically, he says Duncan is a weak man."

"What do you think about that?" Wallace wondered.

Veronica sighed. "I'm not sure. That's the problem. I'm not sure what to think or what to feel about it all," she revealed.

"I think you're pushing yourself too hard. Who says you have to feel anything or any certain way? This happened to you. No one else. I don't think it's up to your dad or Logan or even me to tell you how to feel. You know Duncan better than your dad, but you also know your dad wouldn't say something like this if he really didn't believe it," Wallace said.

"Yeah," Veronica said, morose.

"I'm not sure why you should be in any hurry to figure it all out, especially when it's so messed up," Wallace said. "Maybe you should take a break from all the 09ers for a bit. Clear your head. Figure out how you feel."

"I know Dad would like that," Veronica said.

"You dad just wants you to be happy. So do I. And I know that you and Logan can be great together. But I also know you can be each other's worse enemy," Wallace said. "As for Duncan, he didn't impress me last year. He doesn't really impress me now. But at least he's stepping up and doing right by Meg."

"That's true. I don't want to upset Meg. She's got enough to deal with," Veronica said.

"Well, when you're ready, you should maybe talk to Duncan about this. You guys were friends once. I mean before you dated?" Wallace asked.

"Yes. The Fab Four," she replied with a far away look in her eyes and a sad smile.

"Then you should be able to talk. Just do it when you're ready," Wallace advised.

"You know you're pretty smart for a jock," Veronica said with a grin.

"Damn right!" Wallace said with his own grin.

Veronica felt better having someone to talk to—someone that had no divided loyalties or built in suspicions or prejudices. He hadn't grown up in Neptune, so he didn't have any preconceived notions. Wallace was easy going by nature and would give anyone a chance. Veronica wasn't like that, but a part of her wanted to me. That's why she found both him and Mac so appealing. Both of them were so different from herself. They didn't let much ruffle them, but they were both stronger than either realized. She was very lucky to have found such friends in the wake of all the traumatic events that had occurred the past year eighteen months.

"So why don't you tell me all about Hannah? I want to hear everything!" she encouraged, ready to change the conversation to a lighter things.

"Ah, my new favorite topic!" Wallace said happily.

******The Casablancas******

Saturday night Dick sat on the bed in his brother's room drinking a beer and looking at the picture Mac had given Cassidy for his birthday. Dick had a nice buzz going and had wandered into his absent brother's room. He hadn't seen the picture before, but he remembered Mac telling him what she'd given him when they'd been setting up for the party. He took another drink of the beer. He wished desperately that he was drunk enough to forget. His brother's face kept flashing in his mind-the look of pain and bitterness aimed at Dick. Looking at the picture of the two of them obviously having fun together made him want to cry. He gulped down the beer. There wasn't enough beer in the world to make him forget the things he'd learned and realized the past eight days.

His dad stood in the open doorway. "What are you doing, Dick?" he asked.

Dick flashed his father an angry look. "Remembering what a lousy brother I am. Thanks to you!" Dick said angrily.

Dick Sr. raised an eyebrow. "Me?" he asked.

Dick got up from the bed and gave his dad a look of disbelief. "Yes, you! What kind of father encourages his son to be cruel to his other son? Cassidy is your son, too, Dad! I can't keep thinking of all the mean things I did to him over all the years and how much you laughed about it! What kind of father does that? He was being abused by us and then raped or whatever by that sicko Goodman. You didn't protect him! Instead, you encouraged me to be cruel to him. Why? Because he was smaller? Weaker? Don't you know that he's the one with the brains, Dad? The one that will one day make you millions. Not me. I'm not good at anything really." He gave a bitter laugh. "No, that' s not true. According to Cassidy's journal, I excel at making him hate himself and me. Thanks, Dad! I hope you're really proud! You know I really don't know who I hate more: you or me!" Dick yelled in disgust. "You know I'm not sure which is worse. Having a dad that beats you like Logan did or having you for a father!" Dick gave his dad one last loathing look and brushed past him.

Dick's dad looked at his son's retreating back, a feeling of failure and misery washing over him. Dick was right; he had failed. He was a failure as a husband, a failure at business, a failure at being a father. Richard knew that Dick was right. When he looked at his younger son, he just saw his wife's betrayal. She swore Cassidy was his son, but he never believed her. Her affair with an old boyfriend had occurred too close to when she'd gotten pregnant with Cassidy. When she'd given birth, he had wanted to believe that she was telling the truth. However, as his son grew, his doubts grew. They had very little in common. Cassidy didn't look like him. Dick's baby pictures looked exactly like his did when he was a baby. But his youngest son looked like his mother, so Richard was never sure. When she left him when the boys were ten and twelve, Richard's doubt grew. He could've found out-done a test, but he didn't. Maybe a part of him didn't want to know for sure.

Now, however, he knew that he had to do something. He had failed both his sons, but he knew how to make it up to them. Richard went down the hall to his office, determined to get some balls rolling.

******Sunday******

Weevil riffled through his closet, looking for something decent to wear to dinner with Mac and her parents. Disgusted, he stomped out of the room and knocked on Logan's bedroom door.

"Come in," Logan said.

"Can I borrow a shirt?" Weevil asked, heading to the closet without waiting for Logan's response.

"Sure. I probably should go shopping and buy more clothes. I had much more to choose from before everything burned," Logan said. "If you're going to keeping going to Mac's for dinner, I should take you shopping."

Weevil just flipped him off and pulled out a short-sleeved Polo shirt.

"No long sleeves today?" Logan asked curious.

"Mac says I shouldn't hide who I am. I thought I'd test that," Weevil announced.

"Hmmm. In my experience, parents don't really like tattooed, motorcycle driving former gang members," Logan said. "You can dress up the package, but it doesn't change who you are."

"You don't think I know that? You don't think I know the likely expectancy on my relationship with Mac?" Weevil asked harshly.

"Then why are you dating her?" Logan wondered.

"She may be a perfect daughter in a typical middle class American, apple pie family, but that's not all she is. There's things about her that you don't know. Things that are surprising. She is surprising, and I like her," Weevil said bluntly.

Logan nodded and pulled out his phone. He frowned down at it.

"What's wrong?" Weevil asked.

"Veronica hasn't called me since our date Friday. When I call her, I get her voicemail. And she only texts me back. Something's wrong," Logan shared, frowning.

"Did you guys fight on your date Friday?" Weevil asked.

"No. It was the most perfect night we've ever had. She finally told me how she felt about me. Nothing she said indicated there was anything wrong," Logan said.

"She's probably just busy. You know chicks. If they can't keep us hopping, they're not happy," Weevil joked.

Logan smiled as Weevil put on the shirt. "Hey, can I talk to you about something else?" he asked Weevil.

"What?" Weevil asked.

"Well, I'm all healed, and classes are going to start back in another week. I was thinking I should probably move out," Logan said.

Weevil arched an eyebrow. "Really? You're prepared to tell my grandmother that you want to leave?" he asked.

"It's not a matter of wanting to leave but should. I should leave. I don't really belong here," Logan said.

"Not fancy enough for you, huh? Well, you lasted longer than I thought you would," Weevil said with a shrug.

Logan became annoyed. "Don't be an ass! That's not what I meant, and you know it!" Logan exclaimed.

"My grandmother will be really hurt if you try to leave," Weevil said.

The woman in question walked by the open bedroom door. "What are you two boys discussing? How will I be hurt?" Lettie asked.

"Logan thinks he should move out now that school's about to start," Weevil shared.

"What? You want to leave us? Why? What did Eli do?" she asked, giving her grandson a disapproving look.

"Why is it always my fault?" Weevil asked in offense.

"Because it usually is," she said simply.

Logan laughed. "No, he hasn't done anything. I just don't want to impose any longer. I mean, I really appreciate everything, but I should move out," Logan said.

"And go where? Do you have other family? Is your sister coming to take care of you?" Lettie asked.

Logan grinned at the idea of Trina playing mom to him. Lettie couldn't seem to let go of that particular thought. "Trina can barely take care of herself. She left me a voicemail the other day about making sure she got her share of the insurance check for the house since I got all her stuff burned up," Logan said dryly.

Lettie looked shocked. "She wasn't worried about you? I'm surprised. Trina is spoiled, but I know she loves you," Lettie insisted.

"I suppose. But she isn't going to come back to Neptune and play nurse for me. Nor would I want her to," Logan said.

"You can't stay by yourself. It's not healthy," Lettie said. "You should stay here until your home is rebuilt."

"Rebuilt? I don't have plans to rebuild," Logan said.

"Why not? That's your home. The only one you had," Lettie said.

"It was his. My dad's shrine to his ego. I am glad it burned down," Logan said with loathing.

"How can you say this?" Lettie asked in shock. "That was your mother's home, too. It was her that decorated it, that loved it. Don't you want to rebuild it in her memory? Not his."

"Your dad's still alive. Doesn't he have to sign off on it anyway," Weevil asked.

"True. I'm not eighteen yet. I guess I could go see him. With a pane of glass between us, I won't be able to kill him," Logan said bitterly.

"Convince him to let you rebuild, and you can rebuild the house the way you want," Weevil said with a grin. "He won't be able to do anything about it."

Logan smiled at the thought. "Good point," he said.

"Rebuild it, so I can go back to work in it. I don't like cleaning several houses a day," Lettie admitted. "I like going to the same house only."

Logan didn't like the idea that she was unhappy about work. He felt ashamed that he hadn't given much thought to what she was having to do now that his house was gone. "I'm an ass. I hadn't even thought about you having to work in places you may not like," Logan said.

"It's not your place to worry about it. I make enough. It's fine. We have enough. Don't worry," Letty said. "I don't want you to leave. Neither does Eli." She gave her son a warning look.

Weevil grinned. "Just imagine the look on the faces of all those 09ers when school starts, and it gets out that you're slumming," he said.

Lettie smacked him lightly on the back of the head. "Shame on you, Eli! We are not living in a slum!" she scolded.

Logan laughed. He loved watching Weevil got smacked by his grandmother. "Seeing you get bitch-slapped by your grandmother makes it worth it!" Logan said.

"Are you calling my grandmother a bitch?" Weevil asked, taking offense.

His grandmother smacked him again and gave Logan a disapproving look. "You boys both need to watch your mouths!" she ordered. "You stay. I take care of you. You leave when your house is rebuilt. Then I take care of your house. End of discussion." After making her pronouncement, she left the room.

"Well, that's the end of that. You're stuck with us," Weevil said, grinning. "And I wanna go with you when you go visit your dad. Imagine his face when he finds out you're staying with me!"

Logan gave a slow grin at the thought.

*****The Mackenzies'*****

Mac and Weevil sat at the dinner table with her little brother sitting across from them. Her parents were on each end. So far, the dinner had been okay. Mac's parents kept up a polite line of conversation and so far had not gotten too personal with the questioning. Weevil knew it would change, and it did.

"So is the bike new?" Mac's dad, Sam, asked.

"No. I drive my grandmother's car when I'm on dates," Weevil replied easily.

"That's good," Sam said. "I like bikes, but I don't like the idea of my teenager daughter on the back of one."

"I want a motorcycle!" Ryan enthused.

"Never," Natalie said easily.

"When you're much older," Sam said.

Weevil knew that things were on a downward slide. Ryan's next observation reinforced his worries.

"Why do you have a heart on your arm?" Ryan asked, peering hard at Weevil's arm. The sleeve covered most but not all of the tattoo.

"It's a memorial for someone I loved that died," Weevil said simply.

"I didn't know guys wore hearts," Ryan said.

"Guys that aren't afraid to show they care do," Mac said in defense. However, she saw her parents exchange a look.

Ryan's next comment wasn't a surprise. "I want a tattoo," Ryan said.

Weevil mentally groaned. Mac complained often about her little brother, and now he understood why.

"Not until your eighteen," Sam said sternly.

Ryan frowned. Then he looked at his sister and grinned. "Is he your boyfriend?" Ryan asked.

Natalie saved Mac from further embarrassment by telling Ryan to go get the pie in the kitchen. He eagerly jumped up.

"Sorry about Ryan. He's young," Natalie said to Weevil.

"It's okay. I have two younger brother's. One of them is his age, and one is a bit younger," Weevil remarked.

"Dinner's great, Mom," Mac said. "But I think we've had enough." She wanted to get Weevil away before Ryan could ask anymore embarrassing questions.

"Yes, it was great. Thanks for inviting me," Weevil said, smiling at her mother.

Mac got up and pushed in her chair. "We're going to go to my room," Mac said. She grabbed Weevil's hand, practically pulling him from the table.

"Leave the door open!" Natalie called after them.

Weevil laughed as Mac fled to the sanctuary of her room. "I thought you were braver than this, Cindy," he teased.

"I want to kill my brother!" she complained. "I'm sorry about that."

"It's okay. It could've been worse," Weevil said.

Ryan appeared in the doorway. "Mac and Eli sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First, come loves, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage!" he sang to them.

Mac ran after him. "Mom! I'm going to kill him!"

"Why don't we just go out to your backyard? That way they can keep an eye on us like they want, but we can have some privacy. They won't be able to hear us," Weevil suggested when she came back into the room.

Mac agreed, and they walked outside after Mac stopped and asked her mom to keep Ryan inside and away from them.

They sat down at the table her parents kept in the yard. "I'm glad you came," Mac said.

Weevil nodded but didn't say anything. Mac frowned. "Are you glad you came?" she asked, unsure.

"I like being with you doing anything," he said. She smiled. He continued, "But I'm not sure about this. Your parents didn't seem overly pleased with either my bike or the tats."

"Well, they didn't like my hair the first time I streaked it an unnatural color, but they got used to it," Mac said.

"I don't know, Mac. I know you're close to your parents, and their opinion means a lot to you," Weevil said.

"Well, yeah, but they don't make my decisions for me," Mac said.

"Maybe I'm no good for you," Weevil said grimly.

Mac got up, upset. "So you don't think I know what's good for me? You want to end this already?" she asked, surprised at his sudden about face.

Weevil reached out and grabbed her hand. He pulled her down on his lap, brushing her hair back from her neck. "No, I don't. I'm just worried about causing you problems with your parents. You're a nice girl, and I'm not really a nice guy," Weevil announced.

Mac gave him a searching look. "Yes, you are," she said confidently. If he wasn't, he wouldn't care so much about her relationship with her parents.

Weevil's slow grin had the effect it always had on her. He brushed a hand across her face in a gentle caress. "I'll try to be for you," he said. Then he kissed her.

From the kitchen window, Natalie watched the scene with a grin. Sam came up behind her. "What are you doing? Spying?" he asked. He peered out and saw his daughter sitting on Eli's lap being kissed like neither of them had ever seen before. "What's he doing?"

"What's it look like he's doing? Kissing our daughter," Natalie said with a romantic sigh.

"Well, he shouldn't be kissing her like that!" Sam declared, outraged.

Natalie laughed. "You were kissing me like that when we were fifteen!" she reminded him. "It's passed time for Cindy to have a guy notice her. She'll be eighteen in January."

"But this guy?" Sam asked doubtfully.

"No one has a better head on their shoulder than our daughter, and you know it," Natalie said. "If she likes this guy, then there's more to him."

"Maybe," Sam said doubtfully, watching the never ending kiss.

"Let's give them some privacy," Natalie said, dragging her husband away from the window.

The kiss ended finally, causing both to breath heavily. "I know you want to go slow, but I couldn't resist," Weevil said, grinning.

Mac's arm was still wrapped around his neck, her heart pounding loudly in her ears. She gave him a bemused look. "I'm not sure I can complain," she said dryly. "No one's ever kissed me like that before."

A sense of possessiveness rose up in Weevil at her admittance. "I like knowing that," he admitted. "I like that I can be your first."

"You would be, you know," she said meaningfully, not talking about just kissing.

He grabbed her hand and kissed it. "I won't rush you or take you for granted," he promised her. "We'll go at your pace. But I want you to be able to answer the question Ryan asked you with a yes. I want you to be my girlfriend."

Mac smiled. "Well, I guess I can agree to that, especially since I like kissing you," she said, flashing her dimple at him.

Weevil knew an invitation when he heard one and kissed her again.

An hour later, Weevil left her house feeling good. Cindy Mackenzie was full of surprises, and he liked her more all the time. He knew that if things were going to work, he needed to make some changes. He knew she'd be worth it, so the sacrifice would be worth it.

*****The Next Day*****

Veronica knew she couldn't keep avoiding Logan, so she gathered up her courage and went to see him Monday afternoon after her shift at work. Logan smiled to see her and leaned down to kiss her.

She returned the kiss. "Sorry to drop by without calling, but I got off work and wanted to talk to you before I went home," Veronica said.

Logan pulled her inside and straight to his room. "You can come over anytime," he said, shutting his bedroom door. He wasted no time in kissing her, pulling her down onto his lap. "I missed you," he said.

Veronica pushed at his chest, trying to get some space between them. "I missed you, too," she said. She moved off of him and sat down next to him on the bed.

Logan frowned at her actions. Why did she want space between them? "What's wrong? Why did you move?" he asked.

"I can't think straight when you're kissing me like that," she admitted with a rueful grin.

"I'm glad to hear I haven't lost my touch," Logan said with a cocky grin.

"I don't think it's possible," she said. "But I want to talk, so space is needed." She turned sideways, so she was facing him.

"Is everything okay?" he asked, feeling anxious. Did Keith tell her to end things?

"I need some time, Logan, to work through some things," she said.

"What does that mean?" he asked, not liking the sound of it.

"My dad and I talked Saturday about some things," she shared.

"He wants you to break up with me?" Logan asked, jumping to the worse conclusion and his greatest fear.

"No!" she assured him. "He just said some things that made me take a good look at myself and the choices I make and the people in my life."

"Like me?" Logan asked sourly.

"And Duncan. Dad said that Duncan's actions weren't any different than Cassidy's," Veronica shared.

Logan was caught off guard by her revelation. "Really?" he asked.

"Dad heard Dick's big mouth when he said you were drinking shots off of me at Shelly's party. He knows that Duncan stopped you, so he says that Duncan had to have known I was impaired and not able to give permission for sex," Veronica said.

Logan found himself fighting off a sudden rage as he realized that Keith had a good point—a point he had never considered. "I hadn't thought of that," Logan confessed.

"He also said that if Duncan had been too out of it, he wouldn't have been able to have sex with me at all," Veronica shared. "Is that true?"

Logan's mouth opened in surprise as he thought about it. He got up suddenly and looked down at her. "I'm going to kill him!" he declared angrily.

Veronica grabbed his hand and pulled him back down. "Calm down. The last thing I need is you causing more problems. I've got enough to deal with," she said.

Logan looked disgruntled and frowned at her. "You aren't going to do anything?" he asked. "You expect me to not either?"

"I expect you to let me deal with it. I don't want to upset Meg. She's in her first trimester and doesn't need any upset. I can handle Duncan," Veronica said, giving him a warning look.

"What else did your dad say?" Logan asked.

"He said a lot of things. He doesn't have a good opinion of the Kanes, not even Lilly," Veronica said sourly.

Logan was surprised and knew that probably upset Veronica more than the Duncan stuff. "Well, he didn't know her like we did," Logan said loyally.

"He couldn't help but point out that she was dead because she was doing inappropriate things with your father then tried to blackmail him," Veronica said.

"So she deserved it?" Logan asked, angry at what her dad was implying.

"That's not what he was saying. He just thinks that our choices bring about certain outcomes, and her bad choices brought her a bad outcome," Veronica said.

Logan was really good at reading between the lines. "So what does he think about your choice to date me? I bet he wants you to break up with me," Logan said in disgust.

"He knows I'm not going to do that, and he knows how good I am for you," she said with a reassuring smile.

"You are," Logan said, taking her hand.

Veronica squeezed his hand. "But I do need some time, Logan. Some space to process all that's happened. What my dad said," she told him.

Logan frowned, not liking the sound of that. "What do you mean space? Like you want us to go on a Ross and Rachel type break? 'Cause that didn't end well for them," Logan said upset.

"Not a break. Just space and time. I need it, Logan. I got to work through all this, and it's hard to do with you so close," Veronica said.

"Oh, I didn't realize I was such a burden," Logan said bitterly. He got up and moved away from her, giving her his back.

Veronica got up and moved behind him. She put her hand on his shoulder and turned him back around. "Logan, look at me," she ordered.

He turned and gave her a sad look.

"I don't want to lose you," she said.

"You told me you loved me just two days ago, and now you suddenly want space. How am I supposed to take this, Veronica? Tell me," he demanded harshly.

"I meant it, Logan. I do love you. I don't want to lose you either0, but I also know my Dad's right. I do have blinders on sometimes. I don't know what to think about Duncan. How do I process that? I don't want leftover baggage to taint us. My dad reminded me of how quick I was to believe you had killed Lilly," she shared. "I have issues."

"Well, he's right about that," Logan said, a reluctant smile on his lips. "But everyone has issues. We should work through them together."

"And we will. I just need some time. When I'm with you, I can't think of much else. I need to see how I feel about things, Logan. Please, don't be hurt," she said. "I can't lose you."

Her real fear that she might was reflected in her eyes. Logan was relieved to see it. He pulled her against him and hugged her tightly. "You won't. I'm not going anywhere," he told her. "Take as much time as you need. I love you." He pulled back and looked at her and said it again. "I love you, and I'll wait as long as you need."

Her relief was obvious, so he couldn't resist kissing her. In no time, the kiss became heated. Veronica broke it off and took a step back. "See, this is what I'm talking about. I am so ready to have sex with you. Or at least my body is," Veronica admitted.

"Do you see me complaining?" Logan said with a smug grin.

"But I don't want us to take that step until I've processed things. I want our first time to be free of all the stuff that has happened," Veronica said.

Logan could understand that and reluctantly nodded. "It's okay. I don't want you to ever regret anything between us. Take as much time as you need," Logan said even as a part of shut down at the thought.

Veronica knew him; she understood his insecurities. She put her hand on his cheek. "You and I have a lot of stuff yet to do together, and I intend on us doing every single one of them more than once," she told him, giving him a cheeky grin.

He laughed. "Okay, I'll trust you as long as you don't take too much time. So do you want to hear what Weevil and Lettie talked me into doing?" Logan asked, pulling her back on the bed.

Veronica smiled, glad he wasn't going to push her away. "There's no telling, but tell me," she said. She listened as he shared his rebuilding plans. Her mind filled with so many things. Who would've believed that one day she'd be in love with Logan Echolls? She couldn't imagine her life without him, and she knew that her dad was wrong about him. She could trust him with her heart. She knew it deep in her bones that he'd never take advantage of her or betray her trust. Duncan's face flashed in her mind. How was she supposed to come to terms with Duncan? He wasn't anything like the person she thought he was. She pushed the thought aside and focused on Logan. At least Logan was the man she thought he was. He was so much more than she once thought. After she had been shot at the beginning of the summer, she had seriously considered ending things with him. He scared her sometimes. But now she realized how important she was to him and how important he had become to her. She hadn't expected to fall so hard for him, but she did. And she didn't want to give him up. Not for her dad or for anyone. But when they made love for the first time, she didn't want the memories of Cassidy or Duncan hanging over her. She needed to exorcise some ghosts.

She laughed easily as Logan shared Weevil's comment about Aaron's reaction to him living with the Navarros. Logan smiled at her, and she knew everything would work out. They were going to be okay.

******Across Town*******

Richard Casablancas sat in his car across the street from Woody Goodman's house. He had said goodbye to his fiancé, released his sons' trusts, emptied all his accounts in the U.S. and transferred all the funds to his offshore account in the Caribbean, and made all the arrangements to fly out of the country. He didn't leave a note for his sons, knowing his actions would be all the note he'd need. He watched and waited. Finally, Woody pulled up. He had his bodyguard with him. That didn't detour Richard since he was a crack shot. He wouldn't even get out of the car. He pulled the car out into the road and stopped next to Woody's car, slightly behind it. He rolled down the passenger side window and parked the car, leaving the engine running. Woody got out of his car and stopped to talk to his guard, his face directly in Richard's line of sight. Not hesitating at all, Richard pulled the trigger, hitting Woody in the head. One shot. That's all it took. Without looking back, Richard calmly put the car in drive and took off. He drove the car straight to the private airport where his plane awaited. He gave the keys to his assistant with instructions to keep it in storage, so it couldn't be traced back to him. The licensed plate had already been removed. He took off the hat and sunglasses he'd been wearing.

Then he sat down in the seat next to the window as the plane prepared to take off. He got out his cell phone and sent Dick a text. He watched the plane roll down the runway as he said goodbye to Neptune. His sons were better off without him. At least Woody wouldn't be alive to torment his youngest son. His son could know peace.

*****The Casablancas******

Dick's movie was interrupted with a news report. Dick choked on the drink of beer he took. Woody Goodman was dead. Shot in the head by an unknown drive-by assailant. He got out his phone to call Logan when it buzzed with an incoming text. It was from his dad. I'm sorry, son. Cassidy can rest easy now. Tell him I'm sorry. I love you both. Dad. Dick couldn't believe it. He looked up at the news report and then read the text again. A realization hit him. "Dad, what did you do?" he asked.

******The Navarros******

Logan was watching television when the news report came on. Woody Goodman had been murdered. Some angry father did the world a favor. Logan wished someone would do him a favor and get rid of his dad. Weevil came into the room. "What are you doing?" Weevil asked.

"Watching the good news. Someone killed that perv Woody Goodman," Logan said.

"No loss there. Any suspects?" Weevil asked.

"Several angry fathers and mothers, I'd guess," Logan said. "What's up with you? I didn't hear your bike."

"That's because I don't have it anymore. I sold it to buy a car," Weevil admitted.

"Really?" Logan asked in surprise.

"I had dinner last night at Mac's. If I want to date a girl like her, I can't drive around on a motorcycle," Weevil said. "Besides, school's about to start, and I'm not a PCHer anymore. My bike symbolizes them, and I'm not one of them, so the bike needed to go anyway."

"Well, show me," Logan said, getting up.

They boys went outside, so Weevil could show off is purchase. "God, Weevil, could you get a car any older?" Logan asked, laughing.

"Hey, this is a 1970 Pontiac LeMans Convertible! It's a classic," Weevil said. "A classic muscle car. I was looking at another one, but when I saw this convertible, I knew it was the one. Mac like's convertibles."

Logan smiled and went down the stairs of the porch and walked to the boat of a car. It did have nice lines. It looked like it was a faded silver or blue color. It was hard to tell. "What color is it?" Logan asked.

"It needs a new coat. I know it needs some work. But I know how to fix cars, and you're going to help," Weevil announced.

"Me? I don't know how to fix cars," Logan said. "That's what people like you are for."

"Do you want to be a useless, spoiled rich kid your entire life? Don't you want to know how to do things for yourself? It doesn't mean you have to, but you should know how at least. 'Cause if you don't, it's just plain pathetic," Weevil said with a scornful sneer.

Logan realized he had a point. Weevil leaned inside the car and pulled the hood lever. Then lifted the hood. "So let's start your first lesson. See that? That's called the engine," Weevil said, grinning and pointing.

Logan sighed and leaned in. He'd show Weevil. He could learn how to work on his lame ass car. How hard could it be?

******The End*******

If you want to read the 20-chapter sequel to this story, it is entitled "Ricochet of LoVe" and can be found on my profile page. Thanks so much for reading this story that I started on a whim. A final review is much appreciated.