Veronica Mars: Burning Secrets
Original Fic: Sixteen Candles, by amathela
Remix: Burning Secrets [Ensemble (Veronica-centric), 1200 Words, Rated R], by leni_ba
Keith.
He'll never tell Veronica that she's her mother's spitting image. Keith can see bits of Lianne in the little everyday things. But Lianne is also in the big picture, like how his daughter - his precious, strong, most stubborn daughter - cannot move on.
Oh, Veronica says it's fine, that relationships are overrated. But there's that tilt to her head, that small spark in her eyes when a particular name is mentioned…. The same signs Keith recognized too late in his own wife.
All that's left now is to hope that Logan will play the role better than Jake Kane ever did.
---
Wallace.
He'll never tell Veronica all he's lost because of her.
His faith in humanity, for one. How his first reaction when making friends is to ask his best buddy to run a background check, just in case. How complete strangers avoid him because they've heard of her reputation. How she's completely ruined any semblance of a normal social life in her quests for justice, without ever showing concern or a single look back.
He'll never tell her because Veronica always means well. If good intentions do indeed pave the road to hell, then Wallace will gladly go down with her.
---
Duncan.
He'll never tell Veronica how sorry he is, and will always be, that he didn't protect her after Lilly's death. That he stood by while morons called her names and cowards targeted her.
Duncan can almost hear her answer: 'You still stuck on that? I must be doing something wrong if you're thinking useless thoughts.' Then she'd chuckle, amused, and pull him into a kiss.
But there'd be that first second, before the glibness and the amusement, when her eyes would agree with him. He cannot face it, and that's what truly makes him the most coward of them all.
---
Cassidy.
He'll never tell Veronica that she's a fool, running around the school, harassing every single guest at Shelly's party and not once does she ask The Right Question.
The truth is on the tip of his tongue, begging to be released, clamoring to see the expressions on everyone's face - because who'd think the Beaver could make a choice without his brother's approval? (Though, let's be honest, nothing would have happened if Dick hadn't dragged him there)
But Veronica never asks if he did it. The girl who never leaves a stone unturned quits on her own rape.
See? A fool.
---
Clemmons.
He'll never tell Veronica that he's amused by her.
Such confession would probably end in murder, his, and Deputy Lamb wouldn't have a snowball's chance in hell to break the case. He's amused, not blind to the girl's genius. So he lets Veronica and her little posse do their business with a few vague threats and the satisfaction of recognizing talent when he sees it. She'll be gone soon enough, after all, and Clemmons already dreads the monotony that will enter his office once its regular unauthorized visitor graduates.
But before graduation, there's that promotion he needs to see about....
---
Piz.
He'll never tell Veronica that life continues without her.
It wouldn't continue very smoothly, not at first. Life without Veronica would mean less excitement, and less adventure, and none of that bitter-and-sweet mix that makes her up. Life without Veronica would mean to remember her every time he saw a P.I. movie, or when he played the guitar she recovered.
But Piz would still have his music, and his friends, and his plans for the future. Because he still thinks of his ex girlfriend when someone mentions tennis (Pam's hobby in senior year) and yet.... Life did continue without her.
---
Weevil.
He'll never tell Veronica that she reminds him of...
No. That would (mostly) be a lie.
They are only glimpses, details that startle him just when he forgets who was Veronica's best friend: the sharp scents she favors, that necklace she loves (the one with a matching twin he saw many times around another girl's neck), that way she'll often look around for someone to steal her fries....
Because Lilly did love fries, even if they were 'greasy and fattening and bad for me! Kinda like you; you're so lucky I like you!' - and at least that was (mostly) true.
---
Casey.
He'll never tell Veronica anything. Period.
The chance that their paths will cross again after graduation are as slim as... as him going back to that community. Not that he cares.
Casey does care about the ongoing drama, though, and he'll ruefully admit to be more interested in a conversation if she's somehow involved. 09'ers hate her, so he goes through the motions and thanks his lucky stars that he didn't become one of the strays she seems to be picking up through the year.
Casey Grant, sidekick in the junior Mars team - he never wonders how that'd work. Ever.
---
Cyrus.
He'll never tell Veronica that she's like a daughter to him.
She'd probably berate him for the awful cliché, and never break into his office again - at least not while he is there. He knows of her low opinion on boundaries well enough not to bother to change his lock.
Resourceful and relentless. That's what first comes to mind when he's writing her recommendation letter; but either adjective would require a long explanation (and a newspaper clipping or two). He finally praises her warmly, and promises a long, detailed conversation on Veronica Mars.
That's one conversation he's looking forward to.
---
Lamb.
He'll never tell Veronica that she's saved his job a dozen times over.
The good people of Neptune need someone to blame when their cars are stolen, or when they find the odd body on their doorsteps - and who's handier than their devoted Deputy? Many times he's stood at the edge of unemployment, buried in paperwork and surrounded by utter fools, when Veronica will saunter in, all attitude and backbone, and happily hand him the villain of the week with that condescending smile and a mock-cheerful pep talk.
Really, does she need to wonder why he takes all the credit?
---
Logan.
Logan will never tell Veronica the whole truth. He's just not wired that way, not even if she pushes, not even if it'll all blow up in his face. And if truth shall set him free (of her), the he definitely isn't interested.
"Logan!" she hisses, putting down her taser after having recognized him.
He grins and knocks cheerily on the Saturn's roof.
"What are you doing here?" she asks, rolling down her window with an exasperated glare.
He spares a glance to the motel doors where her camera was trained, then shrugs and shakes the extra large cup he's brought for her.
"You're finally speaking normally to me again, I bring coffee to a stake out. Isn't that what friends do?" They do; he checked with Wallace first.
She raises an eyebrow before unlocking the door. "So we're really friends now?" she asks once he's settled inside.
Logan gives her his best innocent look. "Of course!"
Veronica isn't buying his act, and he'll hear about it once the job is over. But it's exactly that rampant distrust which makes them fit together. Because he'll never give her the whole truth, and she wouldn't believe him even if he did.
Remix: Burning Secrets [Ensemble (Veronica-centric), 1200 Words, Rated R], by leni_ba
Keith.
He'll never tell Veronica that she's her mother's spitting image. Keith can see bits of Lianne in the little everyday things. But Lianne is also in the big picture, like how his daughter - his precious, strong, most stubborn daughter - cannot move on.
Oh, Veronica says it's fine, that relationships are overrated. But there's that tilt to her head, that small spark in her eyes when a particular name is mentioned…. The same signs Keith recognized too late in his own wife.
All that's left now is to hope that Logan will play the role better than Jake Kane ever did.
---
Wallace.
He'll never tell Veronica all he's lost because of her.
His faith in humanity, for one. How his first reaction when making friends is to ask his best buddy to run a background check, just in case. How complete strangers avoid him because they've heard of her reputation. How she's completely ruined any semblance of a normal social life in her quests for justice, without ever showing concern or a single look back.
He'll never tell her because Veronica always means well. If good intentions do indeed pave the road to hell, then Wallace will gladly go down with her.
---
Duncan.
He'll never tell Veronica how sorry he is, and will always be, that he didn't protect her after Lilly's death. That he stood by while morons called her names and cowards targeted her.
Duncan can almost hear her answer: 'You still stuck on that? I must be doing something wrong if you're thinking useless thoughts.' Then she'd chuckle, amused, and pull him into a kiss.
But there'd be that first second, before the glibness and the amusement, when her eyes would agree with him. He cannot face it, and that's what truly makes him the most coward of them all.
---
Cassidy.
He'll never tell Veronica that she's a fool, running around the school, harassing every single guest at Shelly's party and not once does she ask The Right Question.
The truth is on the tip of his tongue, begging to be released, clamoring to see the expressions on everyone's face - because who'd think the Beaver could make a choice without his brother's approval? (Though, let's be honest, nothing would have happened if Dick hadn't dragged him there)
But Veronica never asks if he did it. The girl who never leaves a stone unturned quits on her own rape.
See? A fool.
---
Clemmons.
He'll never tell Veronica that he's amused by her.
Such confession would probably end in murder, his, and Deputy Lamb wouldn't have a snowball's chance in hell to break the case. He's amused, not blind to the girl's genius. So he lets Veronica and her little posse do their business with a few vague threats and the satisfaction of recognizing talent when he sees it. She'll be gone soon enough, after all, and Clemmons already dreads the monotony that will enter his office once its regular unauthorized visitor graduates.
But before graduation, there's that promotion he needs to see about....
---
Piz.
He'll never tell Veronica that life continues without her.
It wouldn't continue very smoothly, not at first. Life without Veronica would mean less excitement, and less adventure, and none of that bitter-and-sweet mix that makes her up. Life without Veronica would mean to remember her every time he saw a P.I. movie, or when he played the guitar she recovered.
But Piz would still have his music, and his friends, and his plans for the future. Because he still thinks of his ex girlfriend when someone mentions tennis (Pam's hobby in senior year) and yet.... Life did continue without her.
---
Weevil.
He'll never tell Veronica that she reminds him of...
No. That would (mostly) be a lie.
They are only glimpses, details that startle him just when he forgets who was Veronica's best friend: the sharp scents she favors, that necklace she loves (the one with a matching twin he saw many times around another girl's neck), that way she'll often look around for someone to steal her fries....
Because Lilly did love fries, even if they were 'greasy and fattening and bad for me! Kinda like you; you're so lucky I like you!' - and at least that was (mostly) true.
---
Casey.
He'll never tell Veronica anything. Period.
The chance that their paths will cross again after graduation are as slim as... as him going back to that community. Not that he cares.
Casey does care about the ongoing drama, though, and he'll ruefully admit to be more interested in a conversation if she's somehow involved. 09'ers hate her, so he goes through the motions and thanks his lucky stars that he didn't become one of the strays she seems to be picking up through the year.
Casey Grant, sidekick in the junior Mars team - he never wonders how that'd work. Ever.
---
Cyrus.
He'll never tell Veronica that she's like a daughter to him.
She'd probably berate him for the awful cliché, and never break into his office again - at least not while he is there. He knows of her low opinion on boundaries well enough not to bother to change his lock.
Resourceful and relentless. That's what first comes to mind when he's writing her recommendation letter; but either adjective would require a long explanation (and a newspaper clipping or two). He finally praises her warmly, and promises a long, detailed conversation on Veronica Mars.
That's one conversation he's looking forward to.
---
Lamb.
He'll never tell Veronica that she's saved his job a dozen times over.
The good people of Neptune need someone to blame when their cars are stolen, or when they find the odd body on their doorsteps - and who's handier than their devoted Deputy? Many times he's stood at the edge of unemployment, buried in paperwork and surrounded by utter fools, when Veronica will saunter in, all attitude and backbone, and happily hand him the villain of the week with that condescending smile and a mock-cheerful pep talk.
Really, does she need to wonder why he takes all the credit?
---
Logan.
Logan will never tell Veronica the whole truth. He's just not wired that way, not even if she pushes, not even if it'll all blow up in his face. And if truth shall set him free (of her), the he definitely isn't interested.
"Logan!" she hisses, putting down her taser after having recognized him.
He grins and knocks cheerily on the Saturn's roof.
"What are you doing here?" she asks, rolling down her window with an exasperated glare.
He spares a glance to the motel doors where her camera was trained, then shrugs and shakes the extra large cup he's brought for her.
"You're finally speaking normally to me again, I bring coffee to a stake out. Isn't that what friends do?" They do; he checked with Wallace first.
She raises an eyebrow before unlocking the door. "So we're really friends now?" she asks once he's settled inside.
Logan gives her his best innocent look. "Of course!"
Veronica isn't buying his act, and he'll hear about it once the job is over. But it's exactly that rampant distrust which makes them fit together. Because he'll never give her the whole truth, and she wouldn't believe him even if he did.