THE RETURN 37-One 1/2 [Ensemble] PG-13
Title: The Return 37-One
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 10,890
Characters/Pairings: Parker, Logan, Duncan, Mac, Lilly I, Veronica, Dick, Wallace, Piz, Weevil, OFC, Casey Gant, Madison (mentions: The Sinclairs, The MacKenzies and Keith Mars)
Spoilers: All episodes (from 1.01: Pilot to 3.20: The Bitch Is Back. Just to be sure) Although this is obviously AU and there are obviously going to be some alterations to events and especially some in the last couple of episodes.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Literally, nothing. So don’t sue me over this, because you won’t get anything. It all belongs to Rob Thomas and if I had owned it when it was still on the last season would have been way different.
1: Awake/ 2: Homecoming/ 3: Forgive/ 4: Arrival/ 5: Reconnect/ 6: Belong/ 7: Bets/ 8: Fight/ 9: Battle/ 10: Retreat/ 11: Push/ 12: Sound/ 13: Potential/ 14: More/ 15: Storytime/ 16: Understanding/ 17: Piggyback/ 18: Sinners/ 19: Drama/ 20: Dinner/ 21: Armor/ 22:Mingle/ 23:Bubbly/ 24:Awkward/ 25:Closing/ 26: Drunks/ 27: Logan/ 28: Wallace/ 29: Mac/ 30: Parker/ 31: Duncan/ 32: Lilly/33: Piz/ 34: Weevil/ 35: Dick/ 36: Veronica
The Return
37
One
~One Year~
~Parker~
“Okay, so I was thinking we’d set up food in the kitchen, move all the furniture against the walls in the living room and maybe put on movies in the basement. After all, it’s an awesome theater room that rarely ever gets used.” Lilly explained, pressing her lips together and staring at the ceiling as she went through the list she’d been keeping in her head for the last month.
“Okay, but we should lock the office because I’m sure there’s stuff in there that some people won’t appreciate.” Parker agreed, making an actual note on her actual physical list that she had been keeping for the last month. Lilly might be able to remember all kind of things like party decorations, caterers, sale dates and her entire music collection while also attending both the mandated general courses and the extra class that she was taking in an attempt to quicken the pace of her education, but Parker couldn’t. At least not without letting her grades slip below a B average.
“What are you guys talking about?” Veronica asked as she slid into the seat next to Lilly, setting her lunch tray down in front of her. “It better not be a discussion about how you’re going to rearrange my house for a party that you never asked to have there in the first place.”
“Logan gave us the green light.” Lilly said in an almost off-hand way as she plucked a fry from Veronica’s plate and popped it into her mouth. “I have this whole jailbird theme going on. Got some shiny silver streamers for the windows and I’m going to make some sort of curtain out of it so people would have to walk through it when they come through the door. I even had black and white striped shirts made up. They’re cute.”
“Are you joking?” Veronica dead panned even though Parker knew that nothing Lilly did could shock her. And Lilly rarely joked about anything that had to do with her parties. The legendary parties that she was already known for after five weeks at Hearst.
“You think I should have gone with bright orange? I thought about it but orange isn’t really my color or your color… or Parker’s for that matter. Mac might look good in it and we know Logan does because he had those pants in high school that I still don’t understand but you know…” Lilly’s ramble trailed off once she got a good look at Veronica’s completely unamused expression.
“Lilly, I know for a fact that Logan did not give you the green light. I know this because just a couple days ago he warned me that you had gotten it in your head that you were throwing Duncan a ‘Break Out’ party at the house and that he’d put a stop to it.”
“That was a couple days ago, I talked to him yesterday and he was, you know, all for it.” Lilly assured Veronica before turning back to Parker. “I rented these great search lights for out back on the beach to be all like prison breaky. And I have the caterer working on a menu of a bunch of things that you can’t get on the inside.”
“What kind of things would those be?” Veronica asked, obviously her curiosity getting the better of her. “Not that we’ll actually be having any of these things because you’re not having the party at my house.”
“Prime Rib sliders, lobster puffs, a sushi bar, steak kabobs, filet mignon bites, some tofu thing that I had him throw in for Mac, and he’s going to this whole thing with exotic fruit that will just be amazing. Plus there will be this fabulous three-tier cake that will depict all the different ways you can break out of prison and on top a big file will be sticking out. I dropped by to see it on my way to campus this morning and it’s, like, amazing.” Lilly’s enthusiasm over the food seemed to gain momentum as she described the cake, her hands gesturing widely and almost knocking the food out of Mac’s hands as she came up to the table.
“That all sounds really good. I can’t believe you ordered a three-tier cake but it wouldn’t really be a Lilly party if it wasn’t over the top. I wonder where you’ll have it all delivered since you’re not having a party at my house.” Veronica checked her watch and stood with her tray. “Crap, I have to get to class. Find another location, Lilly”
“I thought you said you cleared it with her.” Parker said worriedly as she watched Veronica hurry away, dumping her tray and exiting the food court.
“Don’t worry about it. I have the key to the house, I know their schedules and we’ll be in and setting up before either can get home to stop us. By time they're home the caterers should have the food set up, the bartenders should be all set up and the cake should be delivered.” Lilly explained, her voice taking on that weirdly calming tone she got when she was talking you into something. “You just have to skip out of the last fifteen minutes of your ethics class, meet me in the staff parking lot and we’ll get there in time to let in the food people and start setting up the decorations and, if we stick to my preliminary time table, we should be past the point of no return by time they get back from their thing with Mr. Mars that I talked him into setting up.”
“There are so many things ethically wrong with that plan I don’t know where start.” Mac commented as she stared, open mouthed, at Lilly.
“Like what?” Lilly asked looking genuinely perplexed.
“Skipping out of ethics. Breaking into our friends house and letting unauthorized staff members in and why are you in the staff parking lot?” Mac explained, starting to eat her garden burger.
“I sort of borrowed my business professor’s car tag.” Lilly glanced down at her salad, stabbing a radish.
“Does he know you borrowed it?” Parker asked, already knowing the answer.
“I’ll put it back. I need it because the lot is the closest and, coincidently, equidistant from my class and your class. I’ll put it back next week.” She said it so matter-of-factly that, for a second, it seemed completely reasonable to Parker.
“Maybe we should just have it at our house?” Parker suggested, already knowing that Lilly wouldn’t agree. They’d talked about this before. A lot.
“No. You guys cannot have the party at our house.” It was Mac that protested this time, shaking her head at the suggestion.
“We can’t have the party at our house because even though five of us live there it’s still too small, a lot smaller than Logan and Veronica’s.” Lilly nodded at Mac, spurred on by the fact that the brunette seemed to be on her side. “And we don’t have a home theater in the basement. Our basement is Wallace’s den of iniquity and then there’s the bog of eternal stench that Piz calls a bedroom.”
“Maybe, this would spur them into cleaning their rooms?” Parker tried. It was a weak effort because, to be honest, she wasn’t all that into the idea of having the party at their house either. It was small, there wasn’t any beach access and because it was so close to campus they’d run the risk of other college students that they didn’t know just showing up.
Mac almost seemed to gag at the thought of Piz and Wallace’s rooms. “Seriously what do they keep in there?”
“I don’t know but most of the time I wonder if we just should have split the extra cost when Veronica moved out last June and not agreed to let the boys invade.” It had sucked when Veronica had moved out and the house, somehow, suddenly seemed a whole lot more empty with just the three of them. They’d gotten lonely and, pathetically, felt much less safe without the tiny blonde there. Which Wallace took advantage of when he pitched them the idea of having two guys living with them, that if there were any intruders they’d be safe and not sneaking downstairs with baseball bats. The one time there’d been even a hint at an intruder - which turned out to be Dick - Piz had hid behind Parker and Wallace was the one holding the bat. The three girls and Veronica had signed up for kickboxing classes the next day.
“Well… hindsight. I have to run but I’ll meet you in the staff lot at 3:15, okay?” Lilly was out of her seat and across the food court before Parker had a chance to agree. Mac just rolled her eyes.
~Logan~
There were streamers. There were actual streamers in his house and Lilly was trying to get him to change into a black and white striped shirt and he was going to kill Veronica when she got back from that thing with her dad.
“Logan, if you don’t put on the shirt you’ll screw up the theme. I got you one with long sleeves and everything so you can do your emo thing and pull them over your hands. I’ve accommodated you enough.” Lilly pushed the shirt at him again.
“Actually I think you’ll find you owe me one. You’re invading my house and while I normally trust Veronica’s judgment I can’t believe she gave in and said you could have the damn party here.” Logan argued. Was that a balloon? Did they sully his beautiful house with streamers and balloons? This wasn’t a five year old’s birthday party, it was a 21 year old man’s celebration to freedom from prison. “Lose the balloons.”
“I already did, I stopped Parker before she could blow up anymore. Now put on the shirt.” She threw the shirt at him this time and walked away before he could protest any more than that.
If he was honest it wasn’t all that bad. The shiny silver streamers were only in the windows and made to look like prison bars, and they hung down over the doors like the beaded curtain Veronica had put up over her closet door in their bedroom. Lilly had old seasons of Prison Break playing on the big screen in the basement and music was blaring from the speakers in the living room where she’d pushed all the furniture against the walls, broke out some club lighting and laid down a dance floor to protect his carpet. The back deck was lit by the bonfire on the beach and the faux search lights she’d placed on the way down to said bonfire. It was cute, if you liked parties with a theme. The shirts weren’t even all that bad and they had the date embroidered over right breast like a prisoner identification number and the words ‘Donut Break’ written under them. She really had gone all out for this because, well… how often did your baby brother get out of prison?
If only she hadn’t gone all out in his house. Now he was going to have to yell at Veronica for giving in when he’d warned her about it and told her not to give in, under any circumstances.
“You know, I don’t think anyone will get away without wearing one tonight, it’d be easier just to give in.” Parker’s voice said softly from behind him. She had the required shirt on already but a short skirt, some fishnet stockings and black heels to complete the outfit. She’d been able to appropriately prepare for this.
“You get to make the outfit look good, I’m just expected to put it on and not care if it clashes with the rest of my outfit.” He was whining but this was just one more annoyance that he didn’t want to deal with today. He’d had a hard day of leanin’ and he just wanted his girlfriend, a beer and some Chinese takeout. Was that too much to ask?
“You live here. Go upstairs and make the outfit your own if it’s such a big deal.” Parker laughed as she walked off, carrying a box of stuff in Lilly’s general direction.
Logan rolled his eyes as he trudged up the stairs, his new shirt slung over his shoulder and his cell phone already out, dialed and to his ear.
“Hello?” Veronica’s happy voice came over the line along with the wind and other street noises.
“Veronica.” He used his stern voice, trying to convey the message that he was not pleased.
“What’s wrong with you? You asshole professor still giving you a hard time? Just say the word and I’ll take him down, have Mac sink his credit rating and Weevil disappear his car.”
“On top of the professor thing I came home to find out that you ended up telling Lilly that she could have that party here.” He had a hard time keeping the hard edge to his voice now, it was always so hot when she got all vengeancy on his behalf.
“I’m on my way home.”
~Duncan~
A party wasn’t really his favorite of ideas the day after he got out of prison, but it’s not like he could keep his little girl up all night to keep him company. He’d rather stay home and watch her sleep a little, watch some television, take a shower in the complete privacy of his own bathroom and try to get a jump start on his classes for when he started at Hearst in January. But, Lilly had been insisting on having a party for him for the last couple months, talked about it every time she came to visit. Parker had been pretty excited about it too so he had tried not to argue the point too much.
Parker had promised that it wasn’t going to be very big. Lilly had promised a blowout. And Veronica had promised it wouldn’t be at her house. It was looking like the only one that had been right was Lilly. As usual.
He could hear the music coming from inside and some kind of flashing lights in the back accompanied by a glow any Californian would recognize as the beach bonfire. He could see that the house was packed and there were at least 20 people milling about on the front porch and in the yard and probably tons out back where he was certain Logan had beach access. If he had to guess there was probably around 100 to 150 people at this party. Why did he let his sister talk him into these things?
“You better get in there. Lilly and Parker have been working on this for a month and if it’s not perfect I’m the one that will have to hear about it.” Mac said, coming to a stop next to him. She was oddly dressed in a black and white striped t-shirt and black jeans with a ski mask scrunched up at the top of her head, like she’d been in the middle of taking it off and then just left it.
“You going on a bank heist later?” Duncan asked, getting a closer look at her. Today’s date was embroidered on the shirt along with the words ‘Donut Break’. He was going to kill his sister.
“Hey, man. How you adjusting to life on the outside?” Dick asked as he came to a stop beside Mac. He was dressed in a similar fashion and held a black purse with a green dollar sign taped to the side, which he handed to his girlfriend.
“Why are you guys dressed like that?” He was dreading the answer.
“Didn’t Lilly, or Parker, tell you about the ‘theme’?” Mac asked, and he could see the barely repressed glee in her face.
“No.”
“Oh goody. I didn’t miss this or the look on Veronica’s face when she gets home and realizes that she got scammed at lunch and Lilly picked her pocket and took her house key.” That was definitely glee in Mac’s voice and in the way she rubbed her hands together.
~*~
“I didn’t break out of prison, Lilly. I was released because I had reached the end of my sentence.” Duncan insisted for what felt like the thousandth time that night. About fifteen people from high school had already come up to him to congratulate him on his successful break out from prison. And ask if Veronica had helped.
“But that’s not a good theme.” Lilly insisted back, like she had the last 999 times. She filled a plate full of fruit and bounced out of the kitchen and away from him.
Duncan cast a look around the room and spotted Parker.
“Why didn’t you stop her?” He asked as he came to stop in front of her.
“Stop who? Your sister? Have you ever tried that before?” Parker raised an eyebrow at him and smirked a little. She was hanging out with Lilly too much. And Logan. And Veronica. And pretty much the rest of the weird little group. “You know her, once she decides something she will not be denied. That’s how we ended up with a hot pink living room over at Casa de Loco.”
“How is it with you all living together without Veronica?” He remembered how worried she was when Veronica had moved out and she’d been left with Lilly and Mac. She’d been roommates with Mac for two years at this point but she it was the friendship with Lilly she’d been worried about. They’d gotten close but always had Veronica as a buffer.
“It’s actually pretty good. Lilly and I have gotten close, not as close as she is with Veronica, but I didn’t expect that. It’s been fun. We had a party for the start of school that we threw together, that was fun. I’m helping her with some of her course work but she’s actually really smart so I’m often reduced consultant when she just wants to check something.” Parker relaxed into the conversation. He was glad to be conversing with her without a window between them. “So, how is it being out?”
“I never realized what a big fan of privacy I am. Glad not to have to talk to people on telephones while looking at them through a sheet of bulletproof glass. Being able to hold my daughter whenever I want? Pretty much the best thing ever.” He smiled at his friend and she laughed. “I don’t know if I’ll get used to not having to write you letters when I want to tell you something though.”
“I know, I started writing a letter to you this morning to tell you about awesome party I was planning with Lilly and then I though ‘wait, it’s for him’. It’ll take some getting used to.”
“If you want we continue with the letters and, once a week, I’ll stand outside a window and call you and you stand on the other side and-” He was cut off by her sudden shove to his shoulder.
“Very funny. I actually have to run to the bathroom. Watch my stuff?” Parker asked and, at his nod, walked off in what he assumed was the direction of the bathroom.
Alone again he sighed and leaned back against the kitchen counter. It was a nice kitchen, done in cheery yellows and the fridge had those fun magnates that he’d never had growing up because his mother didn’t want them cluttering up the look of her kitchen. They held up lists and random pictures of Logan and Veronica and various friends. And a sticky note from Logan to Veronica that Lilly probably should have taken down to save his best friend the embarrassment of it being displayed for all to see.
“Have you seen, Lilly?” Veronica asked, coming to an abrupt stop in front of him.
“A few minutes ago actually, she headed out to the dance-living-club area.” Duncan could see that she was not amused and hadn’t exactly expected the party. He’d already gotten an earful from Logan about how Lilly had conned them both into the party, not that he wasn’t glad Duncan was out and didn’t want to celebrate the fact he just didn’t want to do so at his house where he’d probably have to clean up afterwards.
“Have you seen Parker?” She didn’t sound too annoyed with Parker though.
“She went to the bathroom.”
“I guess if I plan on yelling at Lilly then I should yell at Parker some too, but we all know who is actually responsible for sneaking around and throwing this party at my house when I specifically told her not to.” The words rushed out of Veronica in one long sentence and then, when she stopped, she gasped in a huge breath before storming off in the direction of her living room.
~Mac~
“Madison, I don’t think you should be here.” Mac commented as she came up behind the blonde at the outside bar.
“Oh god, it’s you. Shouldn’t I say the same for you?” The other girl sneered before turning back to the bartender and ordering some fruity drink.
“No, I mean you shouldn’t be here, at Logan and Veronica’s.” Mac almost felt a little bad for the other girl since their parents had decided to reveal the whole switched at birth thing to them. Mac had been okay with the announcement since she’d already known for years, but Madison was not taking it well. Especially when the Sinclairs had decided that they were going to pay for Mac’s college tuition and living expenses like they were with Madison.
“Why are doing this to me?” Madison growled out, frustrated.
“Doing what to you?” She was genuinely confused as to what Madison was talking about, like the whole switched at birth thing was Mac’s fault when the only one that had seriously benefited from it was Madison.
“Pulling this whole Single White Female thing. You’re here at a party with my friends and with my boyfriend. My parents are funding you now and my little sister and little brother both would rather hang out with you.” Madison went on, downing her drink quickly before setting the glass on the bar and asking for another. “Lauren won’t even go shopping with me, or anything. She was always a little geeky but since finding out that you’re her real sister she basically doesn’t want anything to do with me because she’d rather go to the Apple Store with you.”
“So they’re your brother and sister and your parents? Your friends that are throwing the party even though I live with Lilly and Parker? And Dick’s still your boyfriend even though you broke up over three years ago?” Mac asked, no longer feeling sorry for her. “You know, if we hadn’t been switched I would’ve been such a better Madison than you. In fact, you actually look like a Cindy.”
Mac turned and walked away leaving Madison standing there with her mouth hanging open in horror. She was kind of offended, she’d never liked the name Cindy but it was her name and Madison had no right to hate it so much. After all, technically, it should be her name.
~Lilly~
It was probably one of her better parties, that was for sure. She’d put a lot of effort into making sure that Duncan’s party was the best ever.
“Hey, Lilly!” Piz called out to her and she could just make him out across the make shift dance floor under all the flashing lights she’d set up in here.
“Hey, Piz! Great mix,” She called back as she tried to move through the room. She was glad that she’d let him put together a mix on her iPod instead of hiring a DJ. His band was setting up out back already. She hoped. She’d let him talk her into some live music and then let him talk her into letting his band play on the back deck and they were supposed to go on at nine-thirty or they weren’t getting paid. Not that she was paying them but still, any later and it wouldn’t work with the fireworks she had planned for an hour later.
“Yeah, thanks. I really tried to mix in some club hits and the list of songs you gave me and… it doesn’t matter. I just came from outback and Logan is looking for you and Veronica was just in here and she’s looking for you too.” Piz informed her before hearing his name shouted by some nameless girl standing in the middle of the dance floor, arms crossed and pouting. Piz waved her off. “Logan wants to know why the hell the Chinese guy is talking about fireworks and Veronica just looked semi-pissed.”
“I’ll take care of it.” Lilly told him, patting his shoulder and feeling genuinely amused at the worried look on his face. It had taken a year for her to understand him but she got him now and thought it was so cute how much he hated when anyone in the group fought. In his world everyone got along and he didn’t have to worry about taking sides or who was right and who was wrong. She turned to move through the crowd but, just before disappearing into the next room she called out over her shoulder, “Better go get the band set up.”
The game room was packed. Strike that, the billiard room, as Logan insisted it be called, was packed full of people. Boys and girls playing pool, foosball and air hockey while another group crowds around the television, focused on a game of GTA that going on. She’s about to move through and passed the room when a familiar blonde head flashes in her peripheral vision.
“Madison,” Lilly simpers as she leans against the wall next to the girl in question.
“Lilly.” Madison sneers back, a tight smile on her face. She knows she’s in trouble.
“I don’t remember putting your name on the guest list.” Her voice is sweet and sugary, to the average listener she sounds wonderfully surprised that an old friend has shown up unexpectedly. To anyone with history at Neptune High though, her tone wouldn’t fool anyone. Madison has made a mistake in coming and Lilly is neither amused nor forgiving.
“All of our Neptune High friends are here, Lilly, along with half of Hearst. It’s not like there was a bouncer at the door checking off names.” Madison has gone into defense mode and dropped the pretense that Lilly might be happy to see her. Another mistake. “As far as I can tell it was an open invitation to anyone that’s ever met Duncan or might someday meet him.”
“It was, but you should have read the fine print. No fake bitches with really bad haircuts and the propensity to open her legs for anyone and anything as long as they have a car and a decent bank account.” Lilly informs the girl, her voice still keeping the light and sugary tone. Just because Madison doesn’t play by the rules and pretense doesn’t mean she can’t.
“Then what are you and Veronica Mars doing here?” Madison snaps back, setting her drink down on the window ledge.
“Well, as you should be aware of, Veronica lives here because, you see, Logan picked her over whatever it is that you did to get him into bed. Tell me, Madi, how many drinks did it take to get him to forget exactly who, and what, you are?” Madison’s eyes narrowed at her and Lilly could almost hear the angry growl growing in the girl’s throat. She didn’t let that stop here and continued on, “I, however, don’t have to slum it based on a car and bank account. You see, I have access to billions and my very own fleet of automobiles.” Lilly straightened up from her leaning position against the wall. “Now get out of here before someone else sees you and the property value drops.”
Lilly picked up Madison’s drink and turned to leave, but stopped for a moment, drawing Madison’s attention back to her. “And by the way Madi, my haircut is amazing.” And with the final word she flounced out of the room and away from the stomping of Madison’s feet as she fled the room in embarrassment.
37: ONE Pt II
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 10,890
Characters/Pairings: Parker, Logan, Duncan, Mac, Lilly I, Veronica, Dick, Wallace, Piz, Weevil, OFC, Casey Gant, Madison (mentions: The Sinclairs, The MacKenzies and Keith Mars)
Spoilers: All episodes (from 1.01: Pilot to 3.20: The Bitch Is Back. Just to be sure) Although this is obviously AU and there are obviously going to be some alterations to events and especially some in the last couple of episodes.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Literally, nothing. So don’t sue me over this, because you won’t get anything. It all belongs to Rob Thomas and if I had owned it when it was still on the last season would have been way different.
1: Awake/ 2: Homecoming/ 3: Forgive/ 4: Arrival/ 5: Reconnect/ 6: Belong/ 7: Bets/ 8: Fight/ 9: Battle/ 10: Retreat/ 11: Push/ 12: Sound/ 13: Potential/ 14: More/ 15: Storytime/ 16: Understanding/ 17: Piggyback/ 18: Sinners/ 19: Drama/ 20: Dinner/ 21: Armor/ 22:Mingle/ 23:Bubbly/ 24:Awkward/ 25:Closing/ 26: Drunks/ 27: Logan/ 28: Wallace/ 29: Mac/ 30: Parker/ 31: Duncan/ 32: Lilly/33: Piz/ 34: Weevil/ 35: Dick/ 36: Veronica
The Return
37
One
~One Year~
~Parker~
“Okay, so I was thinking we’d set up food in the kitchen, move all the furniture against the walls in the living room and maybe put on movies in the basement. After all, it’s an awesome theater room that rarely ever gets used.” Lilly explained, pressing her lips together and staring at the ceiling as she went through the list she’d been keeping in her head for the last month.
“Okay, but we should lock the office because I’m sure there’s stuff in there that some people won’t appreciate.” Parker agreed, making an actual note on her actual physical list that she had been keeping for the last month. Lilly might be able to remember all kind of things like party decorations, caterers, sale dates and her entire music collection while also attending both the mandated general courses and the extra class that she was taking in an attempt to quicken the pace of her education, but Parker couldn’t. At least not without letting her grades slip below a B average.
“What are you guys talking about?” Veronica asked as she slid into the seat next to Lilly, setting her lunch tray down in front of her. “It better not be a discussion about how you’re going to rearrange my house for a party that you never asked to have there in the first place.”
“Logan gave us the green light.” Lilly said in an almost off-hand way as she plucked a fry from Veronica’s plate and popped it into her mouth. “I have this whole jailbird theme going on. Got some shiny silver streamers for the windows and I’m going to make some sort of curtain out of it so people would have to walk through it when they come through the door. I even had black and white striped shirts made up. They’re cute.”
“Are you joking?” Veronica dead panned even though Parker knew that nothing Lilly did could shock her. And Lilly rarely joked about anything that had to do with her parties. The legendary parties that she was already known for after five weeks at Hearst.
“You think I should have gone with bright orange? I thought about it but orange isn’t really my color or your color… or Parker’s for that matter. Mac might look good in it and we know Logan does because he had those pants in high school that I still don’t understand but you know…” Lilly’s ramble trailed off once she got a good look at Veronica’s completely unamused expression.
“Lilly, I know for a fact that Logan did not give you the green light. I know this because just a couple days ago he warned me that you had gotten it in your head that you were throwing Duncan a ‘Break Out’ party at the house and that he’d put a stop to it.”
“That was a couple days ago, I talked to him yesterday and he was, you know, all for it.” Lilly assured Veronica before turning back to Parker. “I rented these great search lights for out back on the beach to be all like prison breaky. And I have the caterer working on a menu of a bunch of things that you can’t get on the inside.”
“What kind of things would those be?” Veronica asked, obviously her curiosity getting the better of her. “Not that we’ll actually be having any of these things because you’re not having the party at my house.”
“Prime Rib sliders, lobster puffs, a sushi bar, steak kabobs, filet mignon bites, some tofu thing that I had him throw in for Mac, and he’s going to this whole thing with exotic fruit that will just be amazing. Plus there will be this fabulous three-tier cake that will depict all the different ways you can break out of prison and on top a big file will be sticking out. I dropped by to see it on my way to campus this morning and it’s, like, amazing.” Lilly’s enthusiasm over the food seemed to gain momentum as she described the cake, her hands gesturing widely and almost knocking the food out of Mac’s hands as she came up to the table.
“That all sounds really good. I can’t believe you ordered a three-tier cake but it wouldn’t really be a Lilly party if it wasn’t over the top. I wonder where you’ll have it all delivered since you’re not having a party at my house.” Veronica checked her watch and stood with her tray. “Crap, I have to get to class. Find another location, Lilly”
“I thought you said you cleared it with her.” Parker said worriedly as she watched Veronica hurry away, dumping her tray and exiting the food court.
“Don’t worry about it. I have the key to the house, I know their schedules and we’ll be in and setting up before either can get home to stop us. By time they're home the caterers should have the food set up, the bartenders should be all set up and the cake should be delivered.” Lilly explained, her voice taking on that weirdly calming tone she got when she was talking you into something. “You just have to skip out of the last fifteen minutes of your ethics class, meet me in the staff parking lot and we’ll get there in time to let in the food people and start setting up the decorations and, if we stick to my preliminary time table, we should be past the point of no return by time they get back from their thing with Mr. Mars that I talked him into setting up.”
“There are so many things ethically wrong with that plan I don’t know where start.” Mac commented as she stared, open mouthed, at Lilly.
“Like what?” Lilly asked looking genuinely perplexed.
“Skipping out of ethics. Breaking into our friends house and letting unauthorized staff members in and why are you in the staff parking lot?” Mac explained, starting to eat her garden burger.
“I sort of borrowed my business professor’s car tag.” Lilly glanced down at her salad, stabbing a radish.
“Does he know you borrowed it?” Parker asked, already knowing the answer.
“I’ll put it back. I need it because the lot is the closest and, coincidently, equidistant from my class and your class. I’ll put it back next week.” She said it so matter-of-factly that, for a second, it seemed completely reasonable to Parker.
“Maybe we should just have it at our house?” Parker suggested, already knowing that Lilly wouldn’t agree. They’d talked about this before. A lot.
“No. You guys cannot have the party at our house.” It was Mac that protested this time, shaking her head at the suggestion.
“We can’t have the party at our house because even though five of us live there it’s still too small, a lot smaller than Logan and Veronica’s.” Lilly nodded at Mac, spurred on by the fact that the brunette seemed to be on her side. “And we don’t have a home theater in the basement. Our basement is Wallace’s den of iniquity and then there’s the bog of eternal stench that Piz calls a bedroom.”
“Maybe, this would spur them into cleaning their rooms?” Parker tried. It was a weak effort because, to be honest, she wasn’t all that into the idea of having the party at their house either. It was small, there wasn’t any beach access and because it was so close to campus they’d run the risk of other college students that they didn’t know just showing up.
Mac almost seemed to gag at the thought of Piz and Wallace’s rooms. “Seriously what do they keep in there?”
“I don’t know but most of the time I wonder if we just should have split the extra cost when Veronica moved out last June and not agreed to let the boys invade.” It had sucked when Veronica had moved out and the house, somehow, suddenly seemed a whole lot more empty with just the three of them. They’d gotten lonely and, pathetically, felt much less safe without the tiny blonde there. Which Wallace took advantage of when he pitched them the idea of having two guys living with them, that if there were any intruders they’d be safe and not sneaking downstairs with baseball bats. The one time there’d been even a hint at an intruder - which turned out to be Dick - Piz had hid behind Parker and Wallace was the one holding the bat. The three girls and Veronica had signed up for kickboxing classes the next day.
“Well… hindsight. I have to run but I’ll meet you in the staff lot at 3:15, okay?” Lilly was out of her seat and across the food court before Parker had a chance to agree. Mac just rolled her eyes.
~Logan~
There were streamers. There were actual streamers in his house and Lilly was trying to get him to change into a black and white striped shirt and he was going to kill Veronica when she got back from that thing with her dad.
“Logan, if you don’t put on the shirt you’ll screw up the theme. I got you one with long sleeves and everything so you can do your emo thing and pull them over your hands. I’ve accommodated you enough.” Lilly pushed the shirt at him again.
“Actually I think you’ll find you owe me one. You’re invading my house and while I normally trust Veronica’s judgment I can’t believe she gave in and said you could have the damn party here.” Logan argued. Was that a balloon? Did they sully his beautiful house with streamers and balloons? This wasn’t a five year old’s birthday party, it was a 21 year old man’s celebration to freedom from prison. “Lose the balloons.”
“I already did, I stopped Parker before she could blow up anymore. Now put on the shirt.” She threw the shirt at him this time and walked away before he could protest any more than that.
If he was honest it wasn’t all that bad. The shiny silver streamers were only in the windows and made to look like prison bars, and they hung down over the doors like the beaded curtain Veronica had put up over her closet door in their bedroom. Lilly had old seasons of Prison Break playing on the big screen in the basement and music was blaring from the speakers in the living room where she’d pushed all the furniture against the walls, broke out some club lighting and laid down a dance floor to protect his carpet. The back deck was lit by the bonfire on the beach and the faux search lights she’d placed on the way down to said bonfire. It was cute, if you liked parties with a theme. The shirts weren’t even all that bad and they had the date embroidered over right breast like a prisoner identification number and the words ‘Donut Break’ written under them. She really had gone all out for this because, well… how often did your baby brother get out of prison?
If only she hadn’t gone all out in his house. Now he was going to have to yell at Veronica for giving in when he’d warned her about it and told her not to give in, under any circumstances.
“You know, I don’t think anyone will get away without wearing one tonight, it’d be easier just to give in.” Parker’s voice said softly from behind him. She had the required shirt on already but a short skirt, some fishnet stockings and black heels to complete the outfit. She’d been able to appropriately prepare for this.
“You get to make the outfit look good, I’m just expected to put it on and not care if it clashes with the rest of my outfit.” He was whining but this was just one more annoyance that he didn’t want to deal with today. He’d had a hard day of leanin’ and he just wanted his girlfriend, a beer and some Chinese takeout. Was that too much to ask?
“You live here. Go upstairs and make the outfit your own if it’s such a big deal.” Parker laughed as she walked off, carrying a box of stuff in Lilly’s general direction.
Logan rolled his eyes as he trudged up the stairs, his new shirt slung over his shoulder and his cell phone already out, dialed and to his ear.
“Hello?” Veronica’s happy voice came over the line along with the wind and other street noises.
“Veronica.” He used his stern voice, trying to convey the message that he was not pleased.
“What’s wrong with you? You asshole professor still giving you a hard time? Just say the word and I’ll take him down, have Mac sink his credit rating and Weevil disappear his car.”
“On top of the professor thing I came home to find out that you ended up telling Lilly that she could have that party here.” He had a hard time keeping the hard edge to his voice now, it was always so hot when she got all vengeancy on his behalf.
“I’m on my way home.”
~Duncan~
A party wasn’t really his favorite of ideas the day after he got out of prison, but it’s not like he could keep his little girl up all night to keep him company. He’d rather stay home and watch her sleep a little, watch some television, take a shower in the complete privacy of his own bathroom and try to get a jump start on his classes for when he started at Hearst in January. But, Lilly had been insisting on having a party for him for the last couple months, talked about it every time she came to visit. Parker had been pretty excited about it too so he had tried not to argue the point too much.
Parker had promised that it wasn’t going to be very big. Lilly had promised a blowout. And Veronica had promised it wouldn’t be at her house. It was looking like the only one that had been right was Lilly. As usual.
He could hear the music coming from inside and some kind of flashing lights in the back accompanied by a glow any Californian would recognize as the beach bonfire. He could see that the house was packed and there were at least 20 people milling about on the front porch and in the yard and probably tons out back where he was certain Logan had beach access. If he had to guess there was probably around 100 to 150 people at this party. Why did he let his sister talk him into these things?
“You better get in there. Lilly and Parker have been working on this for a month and if it’s not perfect I’m the one that will have to hear about it.” Mac said, coming to a stop next to him. She was oddly dressed in a black and white striped t-shirt and black jeans with a ski mask scrunched up at the top of her head, like she’d been in the middle of taking it off and then just left it.
“You going on a bank heist later?” Duncan asked, getting a closer look at her. Today’s date was embroidered on the shirt along with the words ‘Donut Break’. He was going to kill his sister.
“Hey, man. How you adjusting to life on the outside?” Dick asked as he came to a stop beside Mac. He was dressed in a similar fashion and held a black purse with a green dollar sign taped to the side, which he handed to his girlfriend.
“Why are you guys dressed like that?” He was dreading the answer.
“Didn’t Lilly, or Parker, tell you about the ‘theme’?” Mac asked, and he could see the barely repressed glee in her face.
“No.”
“Oh goody. I didn’t miss this or the look on Veronica’s face when she gets home and realizes that she got scammed at lunch and Lilly picked her pocket and took her house key.” That was definitely glee in Mac’s voice and in the way she rubbed her hands together.
~*~
“I didn’t break out of prison, Lilly. I was released because I had reached the end of my sentence.” Duncan insisted for what felt like the thousandth time that night. About fifteen people from high school had already come up to him to congratulate him on his successful break out from prison. And ask if Veronica had helped.
“But that’s not a good theme.” Lilly insisted back, like she had the last 999 times. She filled a plate full of fruit and bounced out of the kitchen and away from him.
Duncan cast a look around the room and spotted Parker.
“Why didn’t you stop her?” He asked as he came to stop in front of her.
“Stop who? Your sister? Have you ever tried that before?” Parker raised an eyebrow at him and smirked a little. She was hanging out with Lilly too much. And Logan. And Veronica. And pretty much the rest of the weird little group. “You know her, once she decides something she will not be denied. That’s how we ended up with a hot pink living room over at Casa de Loco.”
“How is it with you all living together without Veronica?” He remembered how worried she was when Veronica had moved out and she’d been left with Lilly and Mac. She’d been roommates with Mac for two years at this point but she it was the friendship with Lilly she’d been worried about. They’d gotten close but always had Veronica as a buffer.
“It’s actually pretty good. Lilly and I have gotten close, not as close as she is with Veronica, but I didn’t expect that. It’s been fun. We had a party for the start of school that we threw together, that was fun. I’m helping her with some of her course work but she’s actually really smart so I’m often reduced consultant when she just wants to check something.” Parker relaxed into the conversation. He was glad to be conversing with her without a window between them. “So, how is it being out?”
“I never realized what a big fan of privacy I am. Glad not to have to talk to people on telephones while looking at them through a sheet of bulletproof glass. Being able to hold my daughter whenever I want? Pretty much the best thing ever.” He smiled at his friend and she laughed. “I don’t know if I’ll get used to not having to write you letters when I want to tell you something though.”
“I know, I started writing a letter to you this morning to tell you about awesome party I was planning with Lilly and then I though ‘wait, it’s for him’. It’ll take some getting used to.”
“If you want we continue with the letters and, once a week, I’ll stand outside a window and call you and you stand on the other side and-” He was cut off by her sudden shove to his shoulder.
“Very funny. I actually have to run to the bathroom. Watch my stuff?” Parker asked and, at his nod, walked off in what he assumed was the direction of the bathroom.
Alone again he sighed and leaned back against the kitchen counter. It was a nice kitchen, done in cheery yellows and the fridge had those fun magnates that he’d never had growing up because his mother didn’t want them cluttering up the look of her kitchen. They held up lists and random pictures of Logan and Veronica and various friends. And a sticky note from Logan to Veronica that Lilly probably should have taken down to save his best friend the embarrassment of it being displayed for all to see.
“Have you seen, Lilly?” Veronica asked, coming to an abrupt stop in front of him.
“A few minutes ago actually, she headed out to the dance-living-club area.” Duncan could see that she was not amused and hadn’t exactly expected the party. He’d already gotten an earful from Logan about how Lilly had conned them both into the party, not that he wasn’t glad Duncan was out and didn’t want to celebrate the fact he just didn’t want to do so at his house where he’d probably have to clean up afterwards.
“Have you seen Parker?” She didn’t sound too annoyed with Parker though.
“She went to the bathroom.”
“I guess if I plan on yelling at Lilly then I should yell at Parker some too, but we all know who is actually responsible for sneaking around and throwing this party at my house when I specifically told her not to.” The words rushed out of Veronica in one long sentence and then, when she stopped, she gasped in a huge breath before storming off in the direction of her living room.
~Mac~
“Madison, I don’t think you should be here.” Mac commented as she came up behind the blonde at the outside bar.
“Oh god, it’s you. Shouldn’t I say the same for you?” The other girl sneered before turning back to the bartender and ordering some fruity drink.
“No, I mean you shouldn’t be here, at Logan and Veronica’s.” Mac almost felt a little bad for the other girl since their parents had decided to reveal the whole switched at birth thing to them. Mac had been okay with the announcement since she’d already known for years, but Madison was not taking it well. Especially when the Sinclairs had decided that they were going to pay for Mac’s college tuition and living expenses like they were with Madison.
“Why are doing this to me?” Madison growled out, frustrated.
“Doing what to you?” She was genuinely confused as to what Madison was talking about, like the whole switched at birth thing was Mac’s fault when the only one that had seriously benefited from it was Madison.
“Pulling this whole Single White Female thing. You’re here at a party with my friends and with my boyfriend. My parents are funding you now and my little sister and little brother both would rather hang out with you.” Madison went on, downing her drink quickly before setting the glass on the bar and asking for another. “Lauren won’t even go shopping with me, or anything. She was always a little geeky but since finding out that you’re her real sister she basically doesn’t want anything to do with me because she’d rather go to the Apple Store with you.”
“So they’re your brother and sister and your parents? Your friends that are throwing the party even though I live with Lilly and Parker? And Dick’s still your boyfriend even though you broke up over three years ago?” Mac asked, no longer feeling sorry for her. “You know, if we hadn’t been switched I would’ve been such a better Madison than you. In fact, you actually look like a Cindy.”
Mac turned and walked away leaving Madison standing there with her mouth hanging open in horror. She was kind of offended, she’d never liked the name Cindy but it was her name and Madison had no right to hate it so much. After all, technically, it should be her name.
~Lilly~
It was probably one of her better parties, that was for sure. She’d put a lot of effort into making sure that Duncan’s party was the best ever.
“Hey, Lilly!” Piz called out to her and she could just make him out across the make shift dance floor under all the flashing lights she’d set up in here.
“Hey, Piz! Great mix,” She called back as she tried to move through the room. She was glad that she’d let him put together a mix on her iPod instead of hiring a DJ. His band was setting up out back already. She hoped. She’d let him talk her into some live music and then let him talk her into letting his band play on the back deck and they were supposed to go on at nine-thirty or they weren’t getting paid. Not that she was paying them but still, any later and it wouldn’t work with the fireworks she had planned for an hour later.
“Yeah, thanks. I really tried to mix in some club hits and the list of songs you gave me and… it doesn’t matter. I just came from outback and Logan is looking for you and Veronica was just in here and she’s looking for you too.” Piz informed her before hearing his name shouted by some nameless girl standing in the middle of the dance floor, arms crossed and pouting. Piz waved her off. “Logan wants to know why the hell the Chinese guy is talking about fireworks and Veronica just looked semi-pissed.”
“I’ll take care of it.” Lilly told him, patting his shoulder and feeling genuinely amused at the worried look on his face. It had taken a year for her to understand him but she got him now and thought it was so cute how much he hated when anyone in the group fought. In his world everyone got along and he didn’t have to worry about taking sides or who was right and who was wrong. She turned to move through the crowd but, just before disappearing into the next room she called out over her shoulder, “Better go get the band set up.”
The game room was packed. Strike that, the billiard room, as Logan insisted it be called, was packed full of people. Boys and girls playing pool, foosball and air hockey while another group crowds around the television, focused on a game of GTA that going on. She’s about to move through and passed the room when a familiar blonde head flashes in her peripheral vision.
“Madison,” Lilly simpers as she leans against the wall next to the girl in question.
“Lilly.” Madison sneers back, a tight smile on her face. She knows she’s in trouble.
“I don’t remember putting your name on the guest list.” Her voice is sweet and sugary, to the average listener she sounds wonderfully surprised that an old friend has shown up unexpectedly. To anyone with history at Neptune High though, her tone wouldn’t fool anyone. Madison has made a mistake in coming and Lilly is neither amused nor forgiving.
“All of our Neptune High friends are here, Lilly, along with half of Hearst. It’s not like there was a bouncer at the door checking off names.” Madison has gone into defense mode and dropped the pretense that Lilly might be happy to see her. Another mistake. “As far as I can tell it was an open invitation to anyone that’s ever met Duncan or might someday meet him.”
“It was, but you should have read the fine print. No fake bitches with really bad haircuts and the propensity to open her legs for anyone and anything as long as they have a car and a decent bank account.” Lilly informs the girl, her voice still keeping the light and sugary tone. Just because Madison doesn’t play by the rules and pretense doesn’t mean she can’t.
“Then what are you and Veronica Mars doing here?” Madison snaps back, setting her drink down on the window ledge.
“Well, as you should be aware of, Veronica lives here because, you see, Logan picked her over whatever it is that you did to get him into bed. Tell me, Madi, how many drinks did it take to get him to forget exactly who, and what, you are?” Madison’s eyes narrowed at her and Lilly could almost hear the angry growl growing in the girl’s throat. She didn’t let that stop here and continued on, “I, however, don’t have to slum it based on a car and bank account. You see, I have access to billions and my very own fleet of automobiles.” Lilly straightened up from her leaning position against the wall. “Now get out of here before someone else sees you and the property value drops.”
Lilly picked up Madison’s drink and turned to leave, but stopped for a moment, drawing Madison’s attention back to her. “And by the way Madi, my haircut is amazing.” And with the final word she flounced out of the room and away from the stomping of Madison’s feet as she fled the room in embarrassment.
37: ONE Pt II