This is my AU season 2. Hope my readers enjoy this. Italics equal thoughts, but most of the time flashbacks.

Chapter 1
Veronica Mars was 18 and officially a senior in high school. One more year in hell and then college would equal freedom.
"Supafly!" Wallace appeared by her side on the walk through the courtyard.
"Seniors rule!" Veronica growled, pushing her friend enthusiastically.
"Hey! Not all of us are so pumped about the year. I got kicked off the basketball team for failing the drug test."
"Oh? Have you been holding out on me? I know I requested some high caliber stacks of marijuana at some point."
"I need you to help me."
"You at me at hey… I thought this year would be different."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I have a normal job at Java the Hut and my dad's raking in new dough with his book tour. I have a best friend and the whole school isn't outwardly hating and shunning me. I am single and mildly depressed though. It was expected."
"Veronica, you did the right thing. Logan was out of control."
"Yeah, but he had his reasons." She stared off into the distance, memories of the summer hitting her.

A heavy knock at the door pulled Veronica from the light sleep she'd fallen in. She was physically exhausted after the encounter with Aaron and emotionally drained from knowing her mother abandoned her yet again, but nightmares plagued her. Life was truly a bitch.
"I was hoping it would be you." She said softly when she pulled open the front door, seeing the dark figure hunched over the railing.
"Hey Veronica." Logan said, stepping into the light of the apartment and promptly falling into her arms, crying out in pain.
"Logan? What happened?" she gasped, leading him to a flat position on her couch and examining his cuts and bruises. They were everywhere.
For a split second, she blamed Aaron for the abuse he usually distributed to his son. Then, she remembered Aaron was behind bars and some other force had hurt the battered boy in front of her.
"I was on the Coronado Bridge. Drinking. Contemplating the joy of living. Weevil and the PCH'ers got me."
"Weevil blames you for Lilly."
"Why wouldn't he when you did?"
Veronica closed her eyes at the reminded. She'd suspected the wrong Echolls.
"I'm sorry, Logan. Please tell me you didn't pick a fight with Weevil."
"I didn't. He threatened me and I knocked him unconscious with a kick to the face. The rest of the gang got me after. I thought I'd died."
"You're lucky you didn't."
"This is what luck feels like, huh?"
"What happened after the PCH'ers left?" she asked to get the hopeless expression off his face. If she knew more she could help him.
"I woke to some guy telling me he called 911 and to put the knife down." Logan related Felix's stabbed body.
"Oh God, Logan."
"No, but I didn't kill him Veronica."
"I believe you. That doesn't mean Weevil will. The PCH'ers will want a war."
"I'll be ready for it."
Veronica sighed as she cleaned his cuts.
"I think you've been through enough. Don't pick any unnecessary fights, Logan."
"Right. I should save my energies for the struggle in home. It was all over the radio, you know. Aaron Echolls, accused of murder." He began to sob, his bruised body shaking with his motions.
Veronica pulled him tighter to herself.

The moment had been interrupted when Deputy D'Amato, Veronica's ex, came to arrest Logan for the murky Felix murder. It didn't stick, though. Lack of evidence. That hadn't stopped the PCH'ers for their thirst for blood.
"Earth to Mars! You in there, girl?" Wallace was waving a hand in front of his best friend's face.
"Sorry. My mind is a maze."
"Don't I know it. I was telling you about the other athletes who failed the drug test. Five of us in total."
"Let me guess, all the 09'ers passed the test."
"Actually one failed. Meg Manning."
"Well played, Neptune. Well played. My interest is fully piqued."
"I'm guessing you have to question the other athletes, in case there's a conspiracy."
"Yeah. I'd be worrying about getting spitting distance to Kelvin Moore, who I severely dislike, but my main concern is talking to Meg."
"She still hate you?"
"With fiery passion. Something I'd never expected from her."
"You bring out the best in everyone."
"Shut up, Fennell. So while I question my haters will you swipe some files for me?"
"I don't have Office Aide this year. Before you panic, I have the master key to the office and cabinets plus all the passwords I could get my hands on."
"Well done, Agent. Your next mission is getting me the files of the athletes, including yours."
Wallace rolled his eyes.
"As you command." He walked away and Veronica dashed through the halls to avoid a meeting with any PCH'ers.
Unfortunately, in her haste to escape them she bumped into a boy she wasn't so thrilled to see.
"How've you been, Veronica?"
"Can't complain, Duncan." She murmured, another memory coming to mind.

"Veronica, your favorite customer is here." Wendy, her manager at Java the Hut, pointed out.
Indeed, there Duncan was. He wasn't her favorite customer, but her was her most frequent. He always say in her section and when she went to take his order he'd stare at her with longing and order a latte with a muffin. It was his fifth week doing this. It had bothered Logan, but his opinion wasn't her problem anymore.
"Latte and muffin, I know." Veronica said, turning to the counter to get his usual order.
"Wait!" Duncan grabbed her arm and she whirled back, face blank.
"Would you like something different?"
"Kind of. Something only you can give me."
"And what is that?"
He pulled her closer, making it clear he was going to kiss her.
"No!" Veronica pushed him away.
"Why?" he seemed stunned at the rejection. "We're both single now."
Veronica's heart clenched. How had he heard about her break-up with Logan?
"What about Meg?"
"I ended it. I think we both know why."
"No, we both don't. If I've given you any sign that I was interested in that way for you, I apologize. Regardless of our single statuses I'm not ready to jump into another relationship."
"Logan screwed you up that bad?"
She glared at him.
"Don't sit in my section again. Next time I won't feel so merciful and you'll be wearing the latte and muffin." She walked away, telling her manager she had a family emergency and had to leave early.
Duncan didn't return to Java the Hut the rest of the summer.

"Are you going to Shark Field on Wednesday? Journalism is invited."
"I know we are. Yeah, I was planning on it." Veronica said.
"I can save you a seat on the bus, if you want." Duncan offered and Veronica resisted the urge to groan.
"No, but thanks anyway. See you." She stepped around him, spotting some of the athletes on her To-Interrogate list.

"So, conspiracy?" Wallace asked Veronica, as the two examined the white board she'd set up in her room for the case.
"It appears so. All the people next in line for the main spots on the teams have parents with a major connection." Veronica explained how the Boatloads of Fun Corporation included parents from all the students who were next in line for head cheerleader or starter on the basketball team.
"Tomorrow, I'll arrange a meeting for the Corp. to prove how their money was used for evil. Clemmons will be listening in and that will be that. Think I broke a record for quickest case solved ever?"
"You have outdone yourself. So I heard you were going to Shark Field on the trip Wednesday?"
"How? How did you hear? Is there a bulletin board where my private decisions are posted?"
Wallace laughed.
"No, your dad told me. He was envying your chance to meet Terrence Cook. But, why are you going?"
"I like baseball."
"But, taking the school bus means dealing with a bunch of people."
"I'm a people person, Wallace."
"No comment."

The next day, Veronica was in her 1st period U.S History class when she realized the seat next to her was empty. The teacher, Mrs. Rooney, was old and strict, putting the class into assigned seats the first day. Veronica had been so consumed in her case and her own thoughts she hadn't realized someone was missing. She listened to the roll call and frowned at the silence that followed one name.
"Logan Echolls?" the teacher called. "That's two days in a row." She muttered.
"He'll be here tomorrow, Grams. Calm yourself." Dick said, causing the class to laugh and Mrs. Rooney to assign him detention.
Logan's missed the first two days of school? Where is he? Veronica wondered and realized her only source of information would be Dick and that conversation would be rockier than the one with Meg.
For the rest of the class Veronica could only stare solemnly at the empty desk, thoughts of Logan clouding everything else. She remembered the awful night she'd ended their summer fling.

"Logan we need to talk." Veronica said, holding her boyfriend's hands in her own and sitting on her couch.
"That doesn't sound so good."
"What you're doing is wrong. You and the 09'ers burning community pools and breaking PCH mailboxes on the street. It's wrong and it's dangerous. Someone's going to get killed."
"Someone already has or have you forgotten?" Logan snapped.
"Don't throw Lilly into this. You and your toadies are in a war with the PCH'ers because of your damn pride. You're enjoying the revenge thing, in this sick way. You aren't concerned with your life or even mine. Have you forgotten the night they shot up your car while we were still in it?"
Logan's hazel eyes were darkening with thinly veiled anger and pain.
"My friends are trying to help me. My pride may be all I have left, Veronica. Have you thought of that?"
"You'd have me if you just stopped all this?"
"No. We could get through this, but you want to bail on me. Typical Veronica. Running when it gets too serious. Just like her mother." He gave a cold smile, one Veronica hadn't seen in months.
"Yeah, well you're not so far off from your parentage. You and Dad can rejoice over the fun you have with destruction and revenge."
Logan froze and his while face closed off.
"Never compare me to him again. You think I enjoy the fact that I've lost everyone? Family, Lilly, my best friend? And now the last person I cared about dumps me? You think I'm having fun?" Logan jumped off the couch and knocked over a lamp, the slam of the object against the wall and Logan's raised tone causing Keith Mars to throw him out of the apartment.
Veronica had cried herself to sleep.

The bell ending class rang and Veronica blinked, realizing the room was emptying and she was still staring at the desk. The rest of the day was a blur until the meeting Veronica had planned for the guilty parents behind the failed drug tests. The setup had gone down without a hitch. Principal Clemmons had given her a respecting nod and smile for her discovery. Wallace hugged her and bought her a large ice cream cone.
Veronica had a successful day. Yet, she still had a nightmare that night. The one where she burned alive in the icebox as Aaron laughed from outside and an image of Logan shaking his head at her screams and turning his back on her appeared.

"Thomas Darby." Mrs. Rooney called.
"Here"
"Logan Echolls."
"Present." The smirk was obvious in his tone.
Veronica turned to see the boy who had physically left her life weeks before, but remained a constant fixture in her sub-conscious.
"Can I help you with something, Mars?" he snarked.
"I-I was wondering where you were."
"Missed me?"
"Worried about you."
He scoffed.
"Yes, because my safety and well-being are your top priority."
"Logan-
"I'm going to focus on the wonderful ramblings of our teacher now. I will also ignore you because I think we should return to the habits of last year. You don't exist to me and I don't exist to you." Veronica turned away so he wouldn't see the lone tear that fell.

During 3rd period the principal announced that everyone going to Shark Field should report outside to the awaiting bus. Veronica walked outside, her head lowered, not wanting to catch anyone's attention at that moment. She stayed that way on the line for the bus. Near the front of the line Dick, Duncan, and some other 09'ers were laughing and playing around. Meg was in front of Veronica, alternating between glares and ignoring her.
Ignoring is better than insulting. Let's keep it that way Veronica said to herself.
"Well, well. Look who's Miss Involved now. Baseball does it for you now?" Logan's warm breath his the back of her neck and she shivered, turning to find him too close for comfort.
"You're going?"
"No, I have more important things to do." He grinned. "I'll miss you, though. You'll have a swell time. You and Duncan. It's like all the love stories go. When two people are truly meant to be they find a way back to one another." His tone was heavily sarcastic and bitter.
"Duncan and I are not-
"Ooh, I think you need to go now. The bus will leave you if you don't get on." Logan cut her off, gave her a salute and backed towards his X-Terra.
Veronica got on the bus, knowing neither Duncan nor baseball would be on her mind. Instead there was a tall brunette whose biting remarks and cold façade was firmly set in place, ready to attack her at every turn.
Silly, Veronica. You can't expect a good year in Neptune.

Shark Field had been what Veronica expected. Bored baseball players standing around shaking hands and signing memorabilia. Woody Goodman, owner of the Sharks and father of Gia Goodman (a new girl with perkiness that bordered on insufferable) made a speech about wanting support from his followers in his campaign for mayor.
The one highlight to the dull and awkward event had been meeting Terrence Cook and mentioning her father's excessive admiration of him. Mr. Cook was humble and a nice person.
Veronica chatted with some other players and ate popcorn for the duration of the trip.

It was on the drive back to school, when the bus stopped for gas and the few students on the bust got off to stretch their legs for 5 minutes that it happened. Veronica used the restroom and was going to return to the bus when a blur of pale skin and blonde hair ran past her to the back of the gas stop.
"Lilly?" Veronica felt herself say and she followed the image.
Meanwhile, Meg urged Ms. Dumass to start the drive back to school. Everyone was there. The bus rumbled away and Veronica, too engrossed in her search for Lilly, barely noticed.
"Weevil?" Veronica asked, seeing the biker ready to leave.
"I'm not sure what to call you. There's Traitor, Bitch, or maybe 09'er. You like that, huh? Being one of them again?"
Veronica didn't flinch at his insults.
"I'm not one of them or one of you. I am what I am. And that's Veronica. You have no right to talk to me like this."
"Your boyfriend killed one of my brothers!"
"No, he didn't. And BTW ex boyfriend."
Weevil laughed out loud but before he could respond Veronica noticed the gas station was empty. No bus.
"Shit. They left me!"
"Who left you?"
Veronica explained the field trip and the bus she'd been stuck on. The rich 09'ers had a private limo, but she was no 09er. She was stuck on the bus.
"This ride doesn't mean we're okay."
"Don't be a girl about it." She smirked, putting on a helmet and climbing on the motorcycle.
They were halfway to the school when Veronica saw the smoke and a crowd of 09'ers standing near the edge of the road.
"Stop here." She commanded and Weevil obliged."
She ran to look over the cliff and clapped a hand to her mouth to stop the scream of horror. The bus had gone off the cliff. Everyone inside had to be dead. She was supposed to be among them. Lilly had saved her life.
"Veronica." A hand touched her back and she expected Duncan, feeling suddenly sentimental but instead saw Weevil.
"I-I was a-almost"
"Yeah, I know." He led her to his bike, her staring blankly at everything.
Veronica still saw the sinking bus in front of her. She didn't register Weevil driving her straight to her apartment or his escorting her to the front door and handing her directly to her father.
"I'm glad you're safe, V." he'd whispered before leaving.
Mr. Mars had hugged his daughter tightly after Weevil had told him the story. He put his expressionless daughter into her bed and shut the door. He watched the news where the story was covered in depth, showing pictures of the accident.

In a large, lonely mansion Logan Echolls fell to his knees in front of the television and cried. Veronica had been on the bus. She wasn't answering her cell phone and after 13 failed attempts he consumed a whole bottle of vodka and passed out on the floor. His nightmares were oddly similar to Veronica's. Except his had the added bonus of seeing veronica die in front of him as he fucked his best friend's stepmom miles away. Just another thing he's failed. Saving Veronica.

Ok that was long for a 1st chap I think. I hope it interested you and hope you follow and review this story