Chapter Twelve

Over the next couple of days, Meg got the gist of the situation from Dick and tried to help but was rebuffed from both parties. Mac because she was very upset with the constant teasing from Dick and Dick told Meg he had it all under control.

Dick didn't tell Meg why he was so sure of himself, but she had seen his self assurance and after speaking to Veronica had agreed to take a wait and see attitude.

Watching Meg walk away, Dick found himself reliving the morning Mac had been sent the large stuffed dog, how she had shown up as he was getting ready to leave the beach for school after a morning spent surfing.

"Dick, I want to talk to you." Mac had snapped as she stomped over to where he was slipping out of his wet suit on the sand right in front of the parking space holding his truck.

He could dress in the back seat of his vehicle, but getting the skin tight wet suit off wasn't possibly in such a tight space.

"Hey, Mackie, what can I do for you, or to you?" He leered while inwardly sure that she was upset about the note he had sent to her with the stuffed dog. That she had shown up at the beach was a bit of a surprise but he knew that she was aware he tended to surf in the mornings.

He saw Mac gritting her teeth and the way her fists were clenched and couldn't resist adding "So, did you hear from your nerd admirer or is he still hiding in the shadows?"

Take it back." She said throwing the crumpled piece of paper in her hand at Dick's chest as she tried to avoid looking at the water running down it. Close up she was surprised to realize he had a light sprinkling of hair across his chest and leading south. Furious with herself for noticing, she mentally slapped her own face then said "You are such an ass."

"Hey, I can't help telling it like it is. Your nerd admirer is hiding in the shadows. If he was really any sort of romantic hopeful lover he wouldn't be hiding, he would be standing in front of you, telling you how he feels." Dick tossed out, knowing that it was the fastest way of distracting her.

"What because he doesn't send me disgusting notes with his present? Doesn't remind me of some embarrassing moment with a gift? That means he is what, weak?" She demanded.

"Your word for it, not mine." Dick sassed back.

"No, my friend isn't weak. I told you, he is thoughtful and kind. He understands me, the real me. Something you can never get because for you, everything is about the joke." She said with a catch in her voice that made her even more angry but this time with herself. "Remember, I was one of your first victims, back when we were in middle school."

"That wasn't a joke." He replied feeling hurt at the reminder from the past and also jealous of Bogart. "I screwed it up, but I really did like you."

"Do you really expect me to believe that?" She said scoffing. "I have tried to get along with you because I was grateful that you helped rescue me, protected my friends, but just when I begin to let my guard down, you hurt me. Why can't you leave me alone?"

"I didn't think that note is that bad?" Dick said feeling crestfallen as he began to realize how deeply he had hurt her in the past. He had been so stupid, so sure that it was fine, that Mac hadn't really liked him when she hadn't shown up at the pool during the party. "As for the pool party, why didn't you meet me at the pool like I asked you to?"

"Are you really that arrogant? I saw you Dick; I saw you coming out of the changing room with Madison. I heard you with her." She cried out as she glared at him, her hands now on her hips as she glared at him. "Why in the hell would I meet you at the pool when I had just heard you having sex with Madison Sinclair mere minutes after having Lilly ask me to meet you. Was I supposed to be your next playmate?"

"It wasn't like that." He said softly, his heart thudding as he decided honesty might help. "I went to put on my trunks so that we could talk in the pool. Madison came into the changing room and I swear, I told her to leave. She refused and then I just... I was so stupid and if I could take it back. Then she announced we were dating, I hadn't asked her out and had no intention of doing so..."

"And you think it makes it okay? What, were you going have a little fun with Madison then date me? Like hell you were." Mac fumed. "You never said no, Dick. She and you..."

Wanting to scream it had only been a blow job and he hadn't meant to... But he hadn't said no and he hadn't left the room. He had deserved to lose Mac back then and yet he refused to let it cost him everything now.

Mac, it wasn't like that." He said moving closer to her. "I paid for my mistake; can we please just move on and forget what happened? Please?" He asked, his eyes taking in her tense reaction to his words and losing hope.

"I don't care about that Dick. It's the past but I can't ignore what I heard." She said as she went to leave then stopped and looked at him. "Why would you ever think that sending me that dog was a good idea?"

"I thought it was funny." He said lamely as he felt a lot of the fight slipping out of him, as he realized his plan had been a bad idea. "I don't understand why you are so angry."

"I get that. I get that mostly this is my problem, not yours." She said shaking her head then noticing her hair was sticking to his wet chest. "Dick, please leave me alone."

When she went to step away, her foot tripped over his wet suit but before she fell, Dick caught her and pulled her to his chest to keep her upright. Hearing Mac's slight hitch of breath, he found his hand sliding down and threading with hers. "Are you okay?"

"Fine." Mac's voice sounded soft and curious as she found leaning into Dick oddly enjoyable in spite of how disgusted she was with herself.

Dick wasn't sure what to do with his other hand as he ended up cupping Mac's face and his fingers were now tangling into her hair. "Are you sure, your ankle isn't twisted?"

"No, I am fine." Mac couldn't move; or even force herself to move away from Dick as she felt the water droplets from Dick's hair now landing on her. Mac gulped when she saw Dick's eyes dilating as he came to notice how close they were.

Dick wanted to pull away, wanted to avoid crossing the wrong line when he didn't even know where the lines were but he couldn't move, couldn't think as his brain began to shut down.

Mac felt Dick's fingers in her hair and felt her head begin to tingle from the weight of his fingers on her hair. The feel of his hand cupping her face had her nose noticing how good he smelt and how soft his skin was and her lips parted as she felt that warmth against them.

"Dick..." Mac moaned as she felt her body relaxing against his and his face began to move closer to hers. When his lips brushed against hers then pulled away, Mac moaned and her free hand found itself curling around Dick's bare side and pressing him even closer.

When his lips brushed against hers again, Mac refused to let him pull back and lifted her head to catch them in another kiss then heard his moan before his hand tightened and held her head as Mac and he became obsessed with the feel of one another.

Feelings rioted through both of them, Dick not believing how great it felt to finally hold Mac and to kiss lips he had dreamed about for years. When he felt her start to pull back, he stopped her and he released her hand as his went to the small of her back as he fought to keep their kiss from ending.

Mac was beyond thought as her world became about the lips on hers, the hand in her hair and the feeling of Dick's body against hers. When his lips opened hers and deepened the kiss, Mac found herself pressed against his very obvious reaction to their closeness.

Unable to stop herself, her now free hand was easing around his waist but instead of joining its mate pressing against Dick's shoulder muscles to keep him close, it eased southward and landed at the small of his back.

It was if an earthquake had happened, except Mac realized the earth wasn't moving. They were. She felt the metal of Dick's truck against her back as he braced her against the Hummer while his lips kept teasing and tormenting hers until both were breathless.

"Mac, tell me to stop." He moaned not wanting to have her slap him when this ended because he had pressed too far too fast.

Flushed and unable to do so, Mac's hand eased to the front of Dick's chest, up his neck and she pulled his head lower so that she could get back to what had been making her feel so good.

Dick muttered something she couldn't hear but he didn't resist the pressure on his neck as his lips returned to hers. Lips touched and feelings exploded as the kiss deepened yet again, this time Dick didn't hold back as he claimed ownership of her lips, his tongue teasing but going no further, afraid that might be the line he shouldn't cross.

His hands were now holding her close; as one went down to encircle her waist while the other wrapped itself into her hair.

He felt Mac's hand threading into his hair, tugging at his hair as he pressed kisses onto her lips. When he felt the way her hand was caressing his back then easing downward until they were touching the waistband of his board shorts that thankfully were dry from being under his wet suit.

Tearing his lips away from hers, Dick's lips were traveling down her neck, losing track of where they were. When he felt her hand cupping his butt, Dick could not prevent the moan that escaped as his dick went from aching to hard as a rock. "Mac, stop."

"Why?" She moaned then froze as reality hit her. Just who she was kissing and that she was doing so publicly had her wanting to escape from her own actions. "Let me go."

"Fine, but don't slap me. This wasn't me kissing you, it was mutual." He replied as he awkwardly removed his hand from her now tangled hair and found that his left hand didn't want to let go of her.

When they were apart, she looked at the ground, idly staring at the crumpled wet suit about a yard away from them. Hearing Dick start to speak, she found her courage and her eyes met his. "No, please, don't talk. I want to forget this ever happened. No talking about this to anyone. Okay?"

"Okay." He answered with a whispered addendum of for now. Because he was confused and if it would help him figure this mess out, he would talk to someone, just maybe not his friends.

Since that day, Mac had avoided him at all cost and he was going to let that happen for now. At least until he could figure out a way to fix things. Then the way to fix this had hit him and he had decided that he would go back to his original plan, that it had been a good one. He had just been executing it incorrectly!

For now, Bogart and Mac went back to speaking online every night as he eased Mac around to the idea of meeting her online friend. In the real world, Mac seemed to be getting ready to combust. They had had another close call, this time no kisses but Dick had seen her eyes and had known that she was going to fight this attraction as long as she could.

*MaDi*

Veronica was thrilled when her father told her she had done a good job when he was gone and that he was proud of her. He had sat her down and gently explained about her mother filing for divorce and that she had also requested custody of Veronica, using that Keith wasn't her biological father. There were several lawyers now involved and all agreed with one thing, that Veronica would not end up with Lianne.

What she didn't know was that Celeste had come to town and hired Vinnie Van Lowe to take pictures of Veronica. Nor that the red head had sent them to Lianne now that she had an address. What she did get was a sense of relief when her mom dropped the custody part of the case even as she pressed forward with the divorce.

Meg had decided they needed some romance and tried to find out what was between Cassidy and Hannah only for Cassidy to barely recall the blond. He had frowned for several minutes then had said "Yes, I think I know who you are talking about. She is my lab partner."

"She likes you, Cassidy." Meg had informed him.

"Hannah? Really?" That was all that was said then the younger boy had gone back to discussing how it was working out with his new driving instructor to her frustration.

Logan and his mom had spent the weekend visiting his dad after an accident on set and had come home to reports in the news about how Aaron Echolls family had flown in to be with him on his deathbed.

The fans had begun to gather at their gates and now Logan was feeling trapped as they refused to believe his father was fine and acted like he should be in mourning for a man who had a hairline fracture in his foot and was more embarrassed than in pain.

"Logan, Dick and Casey are here." Lynn announced as the two boys followed her into Logan's room where he was laying crossways on his bed and tossing a ball against the ceiling.

Leaving them alone, Lynn went to call Aaron. "So, should I be picking out your coffin, according to Star we decided which suit to bury you in and that I am already planning to move on when you are dead."

Laughing a bit, Aaron said "When I do die, you are going to be out chasing some hot young thing even younger than our son."

"I believe that is called pedophilia, Aaron." She said with a dry tone. "Can I at least have one who is twenty-one?"

"Fine, I will be gracious and allow it." He replied with a smirk that he was glad she couldn't see.

"You are supposed to be dead soon, with worms in your eyes, you won't know or care." She responded with good humor. "So if I choose to replace you with Conner, it would be considered in memory of you."

"Logan would make him so miserable for even crossing the threshold or did you forget how he reacted when Conner flirted with Veronica during that visit a couple of years ago. So chose someone else, dear." Aaron replied. "After all if nothing else, I would want you to put our son first."

Joking back and forth, Lynn suddenly asked "All jokes aside, how are you feeling?"

'I feel like an idiot." Aaron said as he leaned back against the chair in his trailer. "I used to laugh at guys my age doing stupid crap like that. Doing my own stunt, when there was a perfectly able and agile stunt man to do so was not good. The studio wasn't thrilled either. Only Richie seems happy, says it reflects a realism that he couldn't get with a double."

"Richie is an idiot for talking you into it and you are for doing it." She scolded then after a moment said "Beverly showed up again. I was at the spa. She had a woman with her, a Laker girl named Kendall."

"The one Dick Sr. found in bed with his wife." Aaron asked. Hearing his wife chuckling, he said "If there was ever a reason to give into your midlife crisis, finding your much younger third wife in bed with another woman would do it. It explains a lot if not his behavior towards his sons."

*MaDi*

School went slowly the next two weeks as Wanda lost to Meg in a runoff but not before challenging the results. Casey had been eliminated in the first bout but there had been no clear cut winner and as Wanda had had the most votes, somehow Madison had convinced the Student Council advisor that a revote was needed.

Sure enough, after that one, Meg had been the winner with eight-two percent of the vote. That had happened in thanks to Felix one of the PCHers who had exposed Wanda as a police narc who had created even a few of the incidents that she had reported to Lamb.

Mac had been avoiding Dick as much as possible but the blond surfer seemed to be everywhere. Twice they had had verbal altercations, both ending with Mac in tears and Dick smacking the nearest wall.

Logan and Veronica had stuck to their vow to stay out of the mess, both thinking that Dick was going about this the wrong way and for Veronica that if Mac would only listen to her that it would have ended long ago.

Meg had gotten her last dare accomplished by the end of the next week but had had an awkward moment when she realized that the concierge had taken her word about a date and had tried to arrange for a male prostitute.

The very shocked blond had stuttered and quickly hung up the phone to the amusement of the other girls in spite of her getting to the goal first.

Veronica had also achieved one of her goals quickly but it had been by accident after her Nikon camera had been giving her trouble. Logan had been entertained at the sight of her talking, cajoling and begging it to stop shutting on and off automatically.

He had been telling the rest of them about it at lunch when Meg had leaned in and whispered to Veronica "Wait that means you got your second dare done."

Mac had text a random cell phone number with the words I know what you did this summer but had already given up on winning because she refused to even think about how she had already accomplished her dare on the beach with Dick.

Veronica had decided to finish hers out but both Meg and she had decided to let Mac off from finishing, mainly because they were well aware of the ongoing war between the blond surfer and the computer geek.

Trying to decide who to affect in order to achieve her goal of giving a boy a hard on without touching him yet who wouldn't care had been difficult enough for Veronica to decide she needed help.

"Logan, do you have a moment?" She asked as they separated from their Newspaper classmates. In a private part of the hallway as the rest of the student either went to lunch or their next class, she tried to ignore her own very hot face as she said "I have a question that needs a male prospective on well... erections."

With a wicked grin, Logan said "Yes, it feels good when we use our own hand to make them go away, but even better when…"

"Stop!" She said her hand covering his mouth as she looked around hoping no one had heard him. When his tongue slipped out and licked her fingers, she pulled it back, wiping it on his shirt and said "Gross, stop this is serious."

"Okay, so ask Logan the Love doctor anything you need to know." Only before he could add anything else, Veronica had thrown her hands up and walked away. Following her down the now empty hallway towards where Veronica was meeting Mac and Meg, still promising to get serious, they both stopped, shocked at what they saw.

Dick with his hands on Mac's hips with their lips locked in what could only be described as a mutually enjoyable kiss. Veronica almost said something to them but Logan covered her mouth with his hand and whispered "Let's leave the kiddies alone."

Backing up, they ducked into an open classroom and Logan closed the door silently then looked at Veronica "How long has that been going on?"

"I don't think it has. Or is." She said shocked as she recalled the way that their friends had been touching each other. There was clearly a familiarity with each other that proved this hadn't been their first kiss. "I wonder why Mac hasn't said anything."

"What about Dick, he couldn't keep a secret if his life depended on it." Logan said now seated on a desk. Looking speculatively at Veronica he asked "What was it you wanted to know?"

"Just how hard it would be to give a boy a hard on without touching him." She muttered really wishing she hadn't begun this line of questioning with Logan of all people.

"Just wear knee socks and soccer shorts, you would have at least one boy drooling." He whispered under his breath. "We both would have happy endings."

"What was that?" She asked as she came back from where she had been peeking out the door towards the end of the hallway. "They are arguing again."

"I said it doesn't take much. A pair of shorts on long bare legs works for most boys." He replied as he pushed back his secret fantasy. "You of all people should know that, Veronica. Lilly did stuff like that to guys all the time."

"Oh." Veronica felt bad, she had always loved Lilly but she wasn't blind to the way her best friend played the males around her like a finely tuned fiddle. "Do you think I have ever played around like that?"

"No and yes." He said. Seeing her face, Logan stood and walked over to where she was leaning against the doorway. "Ronnie, you have no idea the way you affect boys. Trust me, that hard on you were talking about, even I react that way to you and probably will again in the future."

Honesty with deception, Logan was proud of how he had answered without making him the girl in this potential relationship. "Homecoming night when you looked absolutely fucking incredible, for example. Just the thought of you that night is enough to…"

"No more." She hastily said then hugging him, she said "Okay, time to separate the combatants."

Diving into the hallway, dragging Mac off just as Dick and she were about to explode, Veronica called back to Logan. "I want answers, try and get them for me."

Logan was tempted to ask what she wanted answers to, her question or the sight they had seen between their friends but stopped when he saw the way that Dick had slammed his hand into the wall. "Lets get you to the nurse and see if you broke anything this time."

*LoVe*

Jake closed the report from the hospital and looked at Wiedman. "So all of this was the result of a tumor growing on his brain?"

"Duncan's epilepsy drugs covered up how ill he has been. They need permission to operate from both Celeste and yourself." The Security expert said.

"I will call her. Maybe offer to send her to him; she will love the chance to be right." Jake said. Celeste had long been sure that Duncan's issues were physiological not mental and it turns out if they had only had him tested they would have been able to help him much, much sooner.

Calling his ex-wife, he winced and tried to control himself when her first words were about Lianne. "We have more important things to discuss than your paranoia. Duncan has a tumor on his brain and the neurosurgeons want to remove it."

"Oh my god, my poor boy." She said, her tone barely changed and causing Jake to grit his teeth when she demanded to be flown immediately to wherever Duncan was.

"The jet is already on the way to Napa. I will arrive the day before they operate but he has to undergo a series of tests before hand that you can sit and hold his hand through." Jake stated. "I have arranged for the Head of Neurosurgery at the Cleveland Clinic to join you in New York for the rest of the flight to Switzerland. I of course will be updated every single step of the way."

"Can't leave your illegitimate brat, huh?" Celeste taunted.

"I can't leave the company right now." He said as evenly as he could. While it was a privately owned corporation, Jake couldn't just leave right then. But that wasn't why he was staying here. Duncan's doctors felt that it would put his son's emotional and mental stabilization back if Jake were to join Celeste.

Duncan's psychiatrist felt that his obsession with Veronica might be the result of his tumor and that if it wasn't there, his attraction to his sister might fade away.

Looking at his computer, Jake sat down and began to work on his latest programming project, needing the distraction from his personal life.

*MaDi*

Veronica hurried into the office of Mars Investigations only to see that her father wasn't there. Curious as to what was going on, she checked for a note and found instead the case file for Lilly's murder tucked below another file on his desk.

Shocked, she sank into his office chair and looked at the large accordion folder and gulped when she saw that a file was halfway inside. When she read the name of confessed killer Abel Koontz, Veronica couldn't resist pulling it out.

Now with shaking hands, she saw that her father had written a note earlier that day that stated Abel Koontz had fired his attorney and had rejected the offer from a renowned death row advocate to hire him a new one.

Her dad's handwritten note stating that it was as if Abel was now ready to die, Veronica wasn't sure what to think. She didn't believe that Abel had killed Lilly, and with the news that Lilly had had a huge secret at the time of her death, felt that she owed it to her half sister to find out the truth.

Turning on her computer, looking up the footage her father had noted in his file, she saw the reporter announcing that Abel would die by lethal injection the following year and then the old footage of Deputy Lamb carrying two clear bags with evidence of his supposed guilt.

At the time, her father seemed to have been looking at Jake or Celeste for the death of their daughter. Veronica hadn't believed he was right but had stood by his insistence that they didn't know the truth. Now looking back, Veronica couldn't help wondering if Celeste had in a fit of anger attacked and killed her own child.

Seeing the folder labeled Lilly Kane, Bedroom, Veronica hesitated then opened it. Seeing the pictures of Lilly's bedroom brought make a flood of memories for the blond as she ran her fingers down the picture of Lilly's memory board, then chuckled at the sight of the picture of the picture of Logan, Duncan, Lilly and herself dressed up for Homecoming the year before.

When she saw the picture of what looked like the long version of Lilly's bedroom, she saw the sneakers half sticking out from under the bed and really felt like she was seeing her best friend again. Lilly was a lot of things, but neat hadn't been one of them. More times than she cared to think about, Veronica had tripped over a pair of her shoes that way.

Curious as to what shoes they were, she lifted her dad's magnifying glass to take a better look then blinked in disbelief as she moved the small round glass even closer. "That isn't possible."

Taking a third look then pulling up the footage of Lamb triumphantly carrying evidence of Koontz's guilt, Veronica stopped the tape and looked closer. "That isn't right."

"What isn't right?" The blond who had entered the office carrying a water bottle asked while the brunette carried two frozen coffees.

After a shocked moment, Veronica debated not telling her friends but after looking at the picture and thinking about how if only Lilly hadn't kept things a secret she might be alive. Veronica said. "Put down your bags and the drinks and I will show you."

When they had done so, she showed them the picture, asking them both if the shoes sticking out from under the bed had the word Logan in a heart on them.

"Yes. Wait, Veronica you aren't back to thinking that Lilly had a thing for Logan are you?" Mac asked, her eyes widening as she looked at the sneakers. "But then why would she write his name on her sneakers if she didn't."

"She didn't, I did that. At the beach earlier that summer. Lilly teased me about it for weeks. She even tried to wash the sneakers but it just faded a bit." Veronica said blushing as she looked at her two friends then the reason she had them looking forced itself to the surface.

Showing them the footage from the Abel Koontz piece, she saw the moment the truth hit Mac, with Meg it was a few minutes longer before she asked "How could shoes found at the killer's boat still be in the Kane house if he stole them the night he killed her."

"They couldn't." Veronica said as she slipped the folder back into her dad's file. "Abel Koontz gave up his second chance at a trial; he is scheduled to die next year. I think that he made a deal with Jake Kane and they are working together to cover up who really killed Lilly."

"Who?" Mac clarified "Who do you think did it?"

"Celeste or Duncan. I can't think of any one else Jake Kane would cover for." Veronica replied.

"Yourself, maybe." Meg said her mind going over that very question. "What about your Mom, do you think he would cover it up if she killed Lilly?"

Veronica wanted to protest that idea, but standing went to look out the stained glass window in her dad's office as she sadly replied "Not for her, but he might have done it to protect me. My dad is still looking into things and having secrets meetings with Jake. I think that they suspect one of the exact same three people."

"What are you going to do about it?" Mac asked.

When they both turned to look at her, she said "It's been over a year; clearly they have run into a road block. The news about the sneakers wouldn't be a surprise to them because if you are right about Abel they would already know he didn't kill her."

The three girls sat there, brainstorming how to prove that Abel Koontz hadn't killed Lilly and who could have. Coming to no new conclusions, in frustration, Veronica decided she wanted answers to the other burning question on her mind.

"Mac, what is going on with Dick?" She demanded. "I saw you two together, I saw you kissing and it didn't look as if it was the first time."

Standing the brunette walked to the window then leaning against it before she turned to glare at her friends. "It means nothing. Nothing."

"It didn't look like nothing. It looked like you were enjoying it." Veronica replied.

"You don't understand." Mac said throwing her hands up in annoyance. "How could you when I don't even get it. I mean, he annoys me, he pisses me off and then he kisses me and my brain just goes away."

"Mac, what is so bad about that?" Meg said quietly. Seeing her friend glaring at her, she held up her hands as if to say give her a moment. "Look, clearly there is chemistry between you two."

"He is a jerk." Mac cried out. "I can't stop myself and I hate it. It's as if my body has no control."

Veronica looked at Meg and then at Mac before saying. "What happened between the two of you?"

"What do you mean?" Meg asked looking at Veronica.

"Just something Lilly once said about Dick has been in the back of my mind for weeks and then I overheard Logan and Casey talking about some pool party and I think that there is more going on than what Mac wants to tell us."

"I can't believe Casey and Logan are gossiping about some silly stupid party from when we were in the Eighth grade." Mac said, her distressed expression showing Veronica that they were on to something.

"Eighth grade pool party..." Meg's mind went back to that party and then looking at Mac then Veronica said softly. "Mac, you can't hold that against, Dick. It was years ago."

"What was years ago?" Veronica demanded. "What did I miss? And how it is I don't know what you are talking about?"

"You were with your mom someplace. I think Logan was visiting his dad on a set in Los Angeles." Meg said her eyes on Mac. "Jake sponsored a pool party for all the eighth graders, but Lilly was there too. If I remember right, it started okay but then about mid party it turned into a mess."

What happened?" Veronica asked. "Not only with the party but between Dick and you, Mac."

"Nothing happened. I have to go." Mac muttered and grabbing her bag refused to stay in spite of her friends trying to keep her there.

When Mac had left, Veronica asked Meg to tell her what happened. "That was the party where Madison came back from changing into her swim suit and announced that Dick and she were dating. The odd thing was Dick didn't seem to even be aware of it until Duncan said something to him."

"So why is that... Did Mac like Dick back then?" Veronica asked wishing she had known Mac better back then.

"He liked her too." Meg said softly. Telling Veronica about how Dick had been planning on asking Mac out at that party, how he had drank some beer to get up the courage and how it had spectacularly backfired. "I never understood it. Madison never ever even seemed to like Dick. Dick screwed up and has never gotten a chance to fix things."

"He hurt her. Mac I mean." Veronica said softly. "I remember hearing something about this when I came home. When I saw Dick with Madison, I asked Lilly who said that they had begun seeing each other but that it was a mistake."

"I still don't get why she did what she did." Meg said. "Later that same night, Mac had left and Dick was getting drunker and drunker until Casey and John drove him home. Madison started a fight with Molly Fitzpatrick and that was the beginning of the divide Lilly was so determined to prevent happening."

"I just knew that when I came back from Albuquerque, it was as if we were suddenly at war." Veronica said wearily. "Madison has spent the last few years making Mac's life hell, but if you are right and she didn't even really like Dick, why would she do this?"

"She knew that Dick had asked Lilly to get Mac to meet him at the pool, that Mac was changing in the cabana next door. She made sure that Mac heard what was going on in the cabana." Meg said her eyes clouded as she relived the past.

*LoVe*

Dick logged off the computer for the night and went to see how Beaver was doing. Seeing his brother doing his own homework, he messed up Beaver's hair. "So, rumor is, some blond girl likes you."

"Rumor is that you are a pain in the ass whom is tormenting Mac because you dislike her boyfriend." Cassidy retorted. "Funny that, have you considered therapy. I hear it helps when you hate yourself."

"Fuck off. Now tell me about this girl." He said flopping down on Beaver's bed. "Do you like her too?"

"A, there is no girl. B, keep your mouth shut about things you no know nothing about." He warned then continued. "I know that you are acting like a fool over a girl who has no clue that you have a thing for her. I know that you are uh, having dreams…"

Beaver found his hands pinned behind his back as his brother lifted him and carried him down to the pool and threw him in it. "Hey, stop, stop. I swear, I won't tell anyone. I mean, who would believe me."

Hearing the large splash gave Dick some temporary satisfaction until Beaver surfaced and called out "Oh, Mac, I love you. Mac, marry me. Mac be the mother… oomph."

Dick had turned around and tossed one of the chaise lounge pillows at his brother's head. "Shut up."

"Ah, poor poor Dickie is in love and can't take it when he is teased." Beaver said as he swam to the edge of the pool. Pulling himself out, he watched his brother stalk towards the chest at the end of the pool.

When Dick threw a towel at him, he muttered thanks then sat down on the lounge chair. "You are a fool Dick. Just tell Mac what happened and that you want to be with her."

"What makes you the love doctor?" He asked glaring at his brother.

"I just am impartial in this. Logan can't be because he is in love with Veronica." Cassidy said as he looked at his brother. Lifting his feet, he kicked off his sneakers moaning that they had been his favorite pair. "Oh course, I could decide you don't deserve Mac. You are an ass."

Laying down on the next lounger, Dick looked up at the stars, then said "Mac and I are going to be fine. I have a plan in play."

"Yeah, I remember watching that movie too, Dick." He said dryly. "We were both snowed in Aspen with Sadie. You aren't Tom Hanks, Dick. This isn't a movie. In real life a girl is going to smack you around when you pretend to be someone else."

"It's going to be fine." Dick said then looking around, said "Mac likes me too, she is just unsure of me. I have to convince her that I am not the same dick I was when we were in middle school."

"You don't think pretending to be two people might make you a dick. What happened in middle school?" Cassidy asked as he wrung out his shirt and removed it then tossed it on the pool deck with a splat.

Dick spilled his guts, watching as his brother's eyes went wide then narrowed before he smacked his brother in the chest. "Ow, that hurt, Beaver."

"You deserved it. You had sex with Madison when you were about to ask out Mac. You didn't think that was wrong?" He asked glaring at his brother.

"I know it was wrong. At the time… it just didn't seem to sink in that what happened had anything to do with Mac." He said his chin slumping until it hit his chest. "I know it now, it's why I want another chance. I still…"

"You might have blown it, Dick." Beaver said.

"I knew that I blew things with Mac back then. It's why I began drinking." He muttered.

"You are fucked." Beaver replied. Dick glared at his little brother who held up his hands and said "Uh, even I know that Madison has some sort of pathological need to make sure that anyone she doesn't consider worthy is kept away."

"I never understood that, I just want to get back what I lost."

Beaver understood that, he had lost something himself at that same time. Something he could never get back, but as time went on, it became easier to let it go.

Dick looked at the fridge near the barbeque pit, longing to grab one of the beers inside but he had depended on them once to get him through something and it had cost him too much.

The two brothers were silent then Beaver asked. "What happened with that attorney today?"

"Mom wasn't happy but she took the offer of the trust. Grand dad's estate lawyers gave her a choice of something or nothing. She is already on a jet for Lyon." Dick said disgusted with the whole thing.

"I heard Mr. McCormick say something about you being emancipated." Beaver stated.

"Yeah, dude, it's really weird but dad signed some papers that made me like an adult or something." Dick replied. "I asked what it meant, but he said it only means that I am sort of legally free of being grounded or something."

The two brothers sat there for a few minutes then Dick stood and helped Beaver up. Walking towards the house, they were silent then Beaver looked at his brother and said "If you need my help, let me know, but you should just be honest with Mac."

*MaDi*

Logan and his mother were seated at the kitchen counter eating cookies dipped in chocolate when his father limped in on a cane. "You look like hell."

"I feel better than I look." He said standing at the sink and reaching for one of the water glasses. Pouring himself a glass of water, he looked at his son and said "I heard about Duncan, how are you doing?"

"Fine." He replied. Seeing his parents' eyes meeting, he said "I get that he is sick, but it doesn't change what he did."

"I spoke to the DA today; they are going to drop the charges for what happened that his medical condition was what caused his mental breakdown at the dance." Aaron said then added "I still think that you should be cautious like you have been in regards to his feelings for Veronica until we get a better feel for how things play out."

"I uh, am having lunch with Veronica tomorrow after surfing tomorrow morning." Logan said. "She wants to talk about things. She said that her dad told her the same thing."

*LoVe*

Veronica walked into her dad's office and stiffly told him that she was going to lunch with Logan.

"Do you ever intend to smile at me?" Keith asked as he watched his daughter glare at him. "Veronica, I am not saying that you have to be best pals with Jake Kane. I am just asking you to hear him out."

"I told you I would think about it." She said through gritted teeth then knowing what would distract him said "Besides, I have something you need to look into."

Reaching over to the top drawer of his desk, she removed the key inside then went to the locked cabinet and then after opening the doors, turned the dials on the old fashioned safe to pull out the Lilly Kane murder file. She saw his eye brow raise and wanted to tell him that maybe he shouldn't have used her birthday for the code if he didn't want her in the safe.

"I can prove that Abel Koontz didn't kill Lilly." She said handing him the photo of Lilly's bedroom and lifting a red marker from his desk circled her sneakers. "I wrote on those sneakers, they were in her room when these photos were taken by your forensics staff when you investigated her death."

"I see them." He said and then watched as she pulled out yet another file and took out frame by frame pictures of Don Lamb carrying evidence bags from the boat that Abel had owned.

"Here, look closely." She said handing him the magnifying glass. "If Abel Koontz removed those shoes with evidence of Lilly's death on them, how did your forensics team take a picture of them in her bedroom? See, it has the same heart and the same name inside. In my handwriting."

With that, Veronica watched as her dad took yet another close look then said "As for Jake Kane, I will speak to him when I am ready and not a moment before. He has had time to deal with this secret and I am not done dealing. Besides this is how the conversation will go. Jake, I have nothing to say to you, you helped my mom cheat on my dad and that your DNA might be in my genes makes no difference. I have a dad and you, Jake aren't it."

With that, Veronica walked to the front office door and slammed it shut. Keith shook his head as he heard Veronica leaving the building. Going back to the evidence, he lifted his phone and called Clarence Weidman. "I have the proof to get Abel off. When is Veronica's next lesson?"

"Tomorrow. I think that we need to arrange for the lessons to step up a bit." The security expert replied as he watched Celeste Kane baby her son. He believed that the tumor had done some of the damage to Duncan, but not all of it.

*LoVe*

Logan watched from the pier as Veronica walked across the sand to where he was waiting. "Hi."

"Hi." She replied then looking at him asked "Meg is working at Java, do you want to get something to eat there?"

"I already picked something up from Luigi's Italian." He said as he stood and brushed the sand off his clothes.

"You already changed? Did I keep you waiting?" She asked as they walked over to the large yellow Xterra.

"No, I just wanted to get an early start." He said as they got into his SUV. Driving off towards the lookout, Logan said "How are you doing?"

"Fine." She said then admitted "Not really but it's what I tell my dad."

When they were sitting on the rear of the truck, Logan looked at Veronica then down over the cliffs. Pulling out the food, he handed Veronica a bottle of water then her take out container. "It's what I keep saying about Duncan."

"Me too." She replied as she opened the white Styrofoam and saw the chicken Parmesan sandwich. With a quiet thank you, she just told Logan her feelings. "I don't know what I feel. I am sorry he is sick. I just don't know that I can ever trust him again."

"Me too." He echoed her earlier words before asking what had been bothering him from the day before. "What was going on yesterday?"

Veronica was silent for a moment then she said "Ms. Dent had me helping the alumni committee which is preparing for their twenty fifth class reunion. My Mom's class. I saw the yearbook, Logan. It's full of them, of Jake Kane and my mom. I hate it, I hate that she just used my dad, that she made him her second choice and then wasn't even faithful."

"You can't be sure of that." Logan said carefully. "At least about what happened with your dad. No one really knows what goes on in marriage, Veronica. I mean, if you look at the press, what it says about my parents, about me."

"I get what you are saying. Cause if I believed everything I read in the media, you are a wild child who sleeps with a different girl every day." She teased. "Though, they also say your dad is on his deathbed and when I called the house this morning, he sounded pretty chipper for a man who's dying."

Shuddering for a second, he leaned back against the floor rug and then looking at Veronica said "Lets just say that Mom and he made up for lost time last night."

Giggling a bit, Veronica took another bite of her sandwich then after swallowing blushed as she said "I can only imagine. I think its cool, though. That your parents are still in love with each other."

"That is great as long as you aren't the person who avoids their bedroom when one of them gets home from an away set." Logan vowed. Looking at Veronica, he asked "What did you find out from Mac?"

"Only what we already discussed. She has shut down on Meg and myself and we can barely get her to join us after school. She keeps saying she has a program she is working on, but I am beginning to think it is an excuse to avoid us."

"You or Dick?" He asked. Seeing her shrug, he said "Dick has been avoiding me. Surfing on his own or he drags Beaver out first thing in the morning. We are meeting later but I fully expect him to cancel again."

Veronica's phone rang and she looked at the caller ID before answering. Seeing it was Mac, she quickly hit answer. "Hey, Mac. What's up?"

"My car broke down again. Would you pick me up for class tonight?" Mac asked and when she was told yes, quickly said that she would talk to Veronica later.

"What class?" Logan asked.

"The self defense class Mac, Meg and I are taking." Veronica stated then when they were finished eating she asked him if he could join her for lunch the next afternoon.

"Why don't you come over and we can swim." Logan suggested. When she agreed, he drove back to Neptune and dropped Veronica off at her car. Pressing a quick kiss to her forehead, Logan went to meet Casey who was waiting with a clearly annoyed Beaver and Dick.

Walking towards where the trio were seated, he caught the tossed beer, then opening it, drank some then asked "What's up?"

"We heard about Duncan." Casey said.

"It changes nothing." Logan said grimly. "He still tried to attack Veronica and I will not let him get close to her again."

Casey who was now on his third beer said "I stopped in and saw Meg at Java this morning. She is not very comfortable with this either."

Hearing Casey's phone beep, they watched as he answered it and then standing, handed Logan the rest of the twelve pack. "I have to go home. My grandmother wants to talk to me."

When he had left, Dick saw Logan staring at him. "Don't say anything. I am not going to answer any questions."

"Fine, we aren't girls, we don't have to discuss anything. 'Sides, you look even more annoyed than Casey did." He said speculatively.

"Mom took the deal; dad is gone for the rest of the winter. What could possibly be wrong?" Dick sarcastically asked.

Beaver looked at his brother then at Logan. "We got a call about the annual Halloween party. Dad planned it and paid for it already. Dick was told to be the host and that Dad had already sent out the invitations."

Dick stood and looked around the private beach then said "I hate this shit. I hate being the one doing this crap. Why can't he come back from chasing after whatever gold digging blond he is screwing in Qatar and host this stupid party."

"Dubai." Beaver corrected then said "I agree though."

"Then don't host it." Logan said. "I mean most of the time no one even really gives a shit about these things. What is the cause du jour?"

"Saving the whales or something like that." Dick said listlessly.

"I still think we should go with my idea." Beaver said frowning as he realized it was almost time to go meet Pete and Marco. They were still his friends but he found it hard to be around them, knowing that they also had the same shameful secret.

"What idea?" Logan asked.

"I said we should call Sadie and ask her to come back and host the party." Beaver replied. Looking at his brother then Logan he said "Dad would have a cow and I think Sadie would enjoy screwing him over."

"She hates dad." Dick pointed out. "Remember she caught him screwing wife number three while they were still married."

"All the more reason to ask her to take over the party." Beaver said then standing; he brushed off his board shorts and said "I have to go talk to that kid about the special affect for his film."

When Beaver had left, Logan saw Dick take out his phone, then shut it before with a heavy sigh, flipped open his phone and looked into his contacts. Finding the one he wanted, he soon found himself asking his ex stepmom for help.

When she finally agreed, he fist pumped then thanking her said he would leave a key for her with the butler. When Logan mocked him out for the word butler, he said "I needed a way to keep Paval and he offered. It works cause then I am not ordering around the house staff and the garden staff nor deal with Dad's staff."

Mac took a deep breath and set it up for the email to go out on Wednesday, knowing that by the end of the next day the second email would be sent and that hopefully by end of the week she would have the money for her new car.

Taking care to avoid the pitfalls of Jake Kane's software protection firewalls, she eased her way onto the school site and then flagged the few results she was personally curious about.

Hearing her mom calling her name, she walked into the kitchen and with a hidden grimace turned down the offer of going to the college football game with her dad and brother.

When they had left, her mom reminded her that she was going out to her book club then told her that there was a tuna casserole in the oven. Heading out front to wait for Veronica, she sighed at the idea of her exciting Saturday night was going to be spent learning how to protect herself from a kidnapping.

In Switzerland, Celeste was grateful that no one had figured out her secrets as Duncan was rolled into his hospital room. Seeing her ex-husband on the phone, she started to make a sarcastic remark but thought twice about it when she saw that he was reaching for his computer.

"What is it?" She asked, thinking what on earth could possibly be happening on a Saturday night in Neptune to have her husband looking so grim.

Jake made a point of moving out of the way so that Celeste could see the screen as the news cued up and began. "We have late breaking developments regarding the death row conviction of Abel Koontz.

"Mr. Koontz you will remember was convicted of the First Degree murder with Special Circumstances death of Lilly Kane, the seventeen year old heiress to the Kane Software fortune. Mr. Koontz' conviction was overturned tonight by the California Supreme Court.

Hearing Celeste gasp, Jake kept his back to his ex wife as the reporter continued speaking. "The four to one decision to overturn the conviction was the result of late breaking evidence that Mr. Koontz' confession had contradictory evidence and that it might have been illegally obtained by the Neptune County Sheriff's department.

"Sheriff Lamb whose arrest and conviction of Mr. Koontz was a forerunner to his election had no comment when this reporter called the Neptune police department."

TBC