Knocking on the door was easy. Waiting for Sacks to answer dragged out Don's defeat. He was tired of palling around with Veronica, letting her lead him around like a lost puppy. He wasn't one of her 09er boys. He didn't bend at her every beck and call. It was time to remember who he was. He just needed Jerry to remind him. He needed his old self back if he had to deal with Duncan Kane and his legal drama.

"Oh no! What happened?" Sacks let him in. Don made the couch his own as his friend disappeared into the kitchen to pour a glass of tea for his guest. Don didn't ask. It was just the kind of thing Jerry did.

"Did you know that Jake Kane's son is in town?"

Jerry didn't answer right away. Don's mood grew a little more sour. "It's all over the news and I may or may not have helped Sheriff Mars conceal his location." He released a huge sigh, burdened by the secret. "I'm sorry. I couldn't tell you. We've been checking in on him and the FBI have been persistent, to say the least."

"We talked. Me and Veronica. I thought it was leading somewhere."

"Oh?" Jerry rushed to take his seat. He sat on its edge in full interest.

"I was about to tell her... How I feel."

Jerry grinned.

"When Keith called her to go to Duncan Kane's hearing."

"You're kidding! She still doesn't know?"

Don shook his head and explained what happened. He told him he was giving up all hope. It was obvious, wasn't it? He and Veronica were never going to work out. They could barely tolerate each other for years! He was a fool to think otherwise.

Suddenly, he was crippled with overwhelming fear and anxiety that he was going to die alone. He almost did once. He didn't want the life he's led to be all that he leaves behind. He always wanted a family. A partner to kiss good morning and goodnight. He wanted to right the wrongs he grew up with. He wanted something to show for his time spent on this earth. He wanted to leave behind a legacy. All he had become was a failure.

"I should join an online dating website at this point."

"Why don't you come with me to speed dating at the Lizard Lounge? The next one is Saturday. Singles Saturday. The drink specials are half off!"

Don takes a moment to weigh his decision. He goes and he meets someone amazing. He connects with someone new. It could be good. Or, he goes and he meets someone. Someone who doesn't test him and make him want to be better than who he is, who he's becoming. What was he thinking coming here? He didn't need Jerry to remind him of the days he was a jackass deputy or an even worse sheriff. Don was becoming the man he wanted to be.

"Yeah, Jerry. That sounds great. Saturday it is."

If he was becoming the man he wanted to be, why was that his answer?

Veronica followed her dad and Cliff to the courthouse entrance. The flock of reporters was making it impossible to have a clear shot to the door. She held tightly onto her father's hand as Cliff directed them through the masses. Bright flashes and demanding voices shrouded their trek. Nothing was coherent other than noises and smells of heavily perfumed and nicotine-smoking press. She focused on her feet and the grip of Keith's hand, her anchors to not topple over or be swallowed whole by the crowd.

Cliff exchanged a few words with a security team member keeping them back. They unhooked a rope and let them proceed towards the door.

Ropes? Check. Cameras? Check. Newsworthy headline? Check. All they needed was a publicity stunt and it was your typical 09ner function. Panty flash resurgence, anyone?

The courtroom was full of people. She recognized a couple faces scattered in the gallery. The Mannings were among them. Veronica couldn't help but see that Meg's younger sisters were sitting on Duncan's side away from their parents. Lizzie got her act together after high school and took Grace with her. She didn't blame them a bit after witnessing the abuse all those years ago. Don was a saint that day.

They had spots right behind Duncan's counsel table. Cliff "knew a guy" that reserved the seats for them. Him and Keith talked about what they would expect from the hearing, but she didn't hear a word, because Duncan had entered the courtroom. He was expressionless, taking in the room through quick glances. He caught sight of her and she watched the corner of his lip twitch. Good. She made the right choice in being there. Clarence Weidman was at his side with a defense attorney she knew to be on Kane retainer. They took their seats.

Clarence Weidman gave Keith a respectable nod and seized up Veronica. "Miss Mars."

"Clarence."

Duncan butted in with a whisper before her dad could scold her or Cliff could finish mentioning how he's chopped liver. "Veronica, I'm so glad you're here."

"Where's Lilly?" She looked around and caught a flash of something out her eye. She shook her head. No. It can't be.

"Mr. Kane is not at liberty to divulge that information."

Cliff leaned over and mocked the attorney. "What he said."

Keith snorted.

"She's safe with a friend."

"Tall? Puppy eyes? Used to be arrogant and wear a lot of button downs?"

Duncan broke his guarded features to give a smile that confirmed it all. She winked at him.

"Mr Kane, face forward." Weidman meant business. How much was he getting paid for this job? More or less than his hit on Aaron Echolls?

Veronica saw the same image out of the corner of her eye. The flash of green and white and a wet red. She shook her head and looked down at her lap. Why was it so hot in there? You'd think a busy place like Neptune courthouse would have AC.

"Veronica," her dad said gently. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Too much sun today, kiddo?"

"I'm a little warm. I'll be okay."

"Did you take your medication?"

Duncan turned around and raised an eyebrow. She grimaced and shook her head to tell him it was no biggie and in an answer to Keith. She squeezed her eyes shut and felt her dad's hand on her forehead.

"You're pale as a ghost."

"As a ghost," the voice said. She snapped her eyes open and gasped.

It wasn't a blur out the corner of her eye anymore. There she stood. Uniform drenched in blood that trickled down from the wound matting her soft blonde hair.

"Veronica?" She could hear her dad, but the lips that were moving were that of her dead best friend Lilly Kane. She shut her eyes again and used what her therapist taught her. She took deep breaths and released them as she counted backwards from ten. When she got to one she wished she never opened her eyes. When she opened them, Lilly was right beside her and Cassidy Casablancas was stalking towards her with a gun.

"Veronica?"

She brought her chin to her chest and focused on counting her fingers. "One, two, three."

"Tell me, Veronica, what's it like knowing that little pipsqueak fucked you?" Her real Lilly would never say that.

"No wonder Duncan hasn't touched you since." No. It couldn't be her. Not Meg.

"Veronica!"

"Mr Mars! What's wrong with her!?"

On one level she knew what was happening wasn't real. It couldn't be real. They went over this, but what was going to happen when she raised her head? Would the kids from the bus be filling the courtroom? Would water spill across the floor from where they stood?

She didn't get a chance to find out.