Author's note: thanks to everyone that reviewed last chapter, it was very encouraging to post again quickly. Also, I have determined that this story starts season one around the same time as An Echoll's Christmas. Obvioulsy, everything from here on out will be different, but all the facts pertaining to Lilly's death and everything else up to that point on the show all went down the same.

The queen sized bed with the thick expensive pillow top mattress she laid down on was huge but she couldn't get comfortable on it. She missed the twenty dollar water bed her dad had bought her randomly one day from a garage sale. The room was large and empty and dark. She had not been this uncomfortable while trying to go to sleep at night since she was five and her dad had to come in and check for monsters and ghosts. But then again, maybe there where ghosts in the room with her...Lilly, her dad. Neither one would scare her if they were, but Lilly's old room was directly beside the one they put her in. She did not believe in ghosts really, but knowing that did not make her any less uncomfortable. She was completely alone and didn't even have back up with her for company. Celeste made her get rid of him straight away...said she was allegic to dogs. Wallace was taking care of him for her now. She wished she could just stay with him and his mom instead of the Kanes.

"Veronica...Veronica..."

Veronica looked over to where the familiar voice was coming from in the room. Someone that looked exactly like Lilly was standing near the door. Veronica tried to rub the sleep out of her eyes. As she did, Lilly walked over and jumped in the bed with her.

"Lilly?"

"Who other?" The dead blonde said in a very self confident tone and giggled.

"How are you...?"

"You're dreaming...obviously girl." She skirmed around a bit as if trying to get comfortable. "So you're like my sister...hum, my mom u'll love that! But hey at least someone u'll be around to drive them nuts for me. I've got this great CD in my room that I never even got to crank up when my mom was home but I know she'll hate it, we should so go get it!"

"Lilly, who killed you?" The slightly smaller blonde asked, seriously and to the point.

"Aww, can't tell you that girl, wish I could. Oh, I saw your dad!"

"Really? How was he?"

"He seemed ok, missed you a lot. He wanted me to tell you that-" There was a loud bump across the hallway in the direction of Duncan's room like something heavy had been knocked over.

She looked back over to where Lilly had been laying on her stomach only to see nothing.

Veronica truned over in her bed again, but she couldn't fall back sleep. That dream had been a little too real. She looked over at the alarm clock to see that it was two forty two A.M. and finally decided to go downstairs for a glass of water.

The light was still on in Duncan's room and, hoping for some small form of human contact, she knocked on his door. No one answered but she thought she heard the sound of video games inside. She knocked again and then finally cracked the door open quietly...just a bit. Duncan didn't seem to notice, he was just sitting on the end of his bed staring at the screen. The contoller was in his hands...but he didn't seem to be using it to play. Instead he was just watching himself lose. His back was arched straight up and his eyes looked glazed over...as best she could tell anyway from the distance. Wow, someone needs some sleep or caffiene. He looks drugged or something. Like a zombie. She chaulked it up to him being tired and stressed out (After her father died and it came out they were related, everyone knew he had dated his own sister and she her own brother. The only difference was that everybody already hated her anyway and she was used to it while he wasn't.), but still, she carefully shut the door and left before taking the chance of him noticing her in the doorway.

The next morning when she finally just gave up on her mission for sleep and got up around seven, she could already hear screaming from downstairs, though she couldn't tell who it involved other than Mrs. Kane. Someone was having a huge argument. It reminded her of how her parents used to yell after Kaeith lost his job right before she walked out. But Keith always came in an apologized for her having to hear them and tell her everything would be alright...she missed her daddy and suddenly wanted to cry again. She wished school was back in arleady. Even with all the new stuff everyone was saying about her and the incest situation at school, it was a better place to be than the Kane estate. She threw on her clothes, brushed her teeth and hair, grabbed her bag and left...or tried to. Mrs. and Mr. Kane were downstairs and still yelling at each other in the kitchen, which she had to go past no matter what door she took out.

"Why? Why did you have to bring her here Jake!? You think she's gonna replace Lilly? That girl is NOT my daughter! I think i've been more than patient with you and your affairs. I can forgive that, but bringing that bastard child here?! She didn't even seem grateful one bit yesterday- after everything we've done for her!"

Veronica had to stifle a laugh. Yeah...I just loved the pink lacy sweeter that was three sizes too big, the books on "19 ways to improve yourself" and "etticate for beginners", and the give certificate for three counseling sessions with their family phychiatrist. At least Duncan just got me some camera film and a DVD. My father is dead as I got to spend Christmas with the man that cheated with my mother and the brother I used to date...I should have been home with dad watching baseball and the Charlie Brown Christmas special, not the people he swore killed Lilly.

"Shh! She might hear you! I'm her father, it was the right thing to do and you know she was Lilly's best friend!" He lowered his voice "Besides, you know why we BOTH agreed to bring her here...and-and she'll be easier to watch."

"Jake, that girl is always causing trouble everywhere she goes in this town, and what kind of affect is this going to have on our son?"

Originally, she had just planned on leaving without them noticing her, but the chance to make Celeste uncomfortable was too inticing for her to give up.

"Good Morning! Mr. Kane, Mrs. Kane. How is your wonderful moring going so far?"

Celeste looked at Veronica with the kind of disgust most girls would give to the smashed guts of a dangerous bug they had just squashed.

"Oh, just a bit stressful trying to get to work on time, Veronica." He knew she had probably heard at least some of that. "Everything is fine, other than I've already told you not to call us Mr and Mrs Kane. You're a Kane too now, call me da-"

She realized, of course, that school was out for Christmas break, but still, Veronica ran out before he had a chance to finish the word and make her throw up. Dad? Mr. Kane? No, Jake Kane was not her dad, Keith Mars was and she would sooner agree to having her tongue cut out than agree to use it to call him that.

She almost made it to her car when Mr. Kane caught her.

"Um, Veronica, Celeste feels like you're avoiding her. I would like if you'd stay around the house today. Maybe some time bonding will be good for both of you. I want for you to fit in with this family. Duncan's staying home too."

Want to know my favorite thing about the world? Every time I think the world couldn't possibly suck more...it does. She had no choice but to let out a breath and walk back inside.