Veronica had been on edge the entire night. Things were never like this when she had Wallace over for dinner.

But then, she mentally sighed, looking from her boyfriend to her father, Wallace didn't remember their other house. Wallace didn't remember when Keith was still sheriff and Veronica had hair so long that even when Lilly had sometimes wickedly untied Veronica's bikini top just to see the shocked look on Duncan's face, she had still been able to hide her breasts like Botticelli's Venus on the Half-Shell. Wallace didn't remember the garden tub in the master bath or the liquor cabinet Lilly raided every time the four of them were ever left alone in the house. Wallace only knew her as the prickly outcast hardened by her best friend's murder.

She was just too aware that the three of them were eating at the bar, Duncan's feet swinging a good five inches off the ground, their elbows unceremoniously planted on either side of their plates. Even when Lianne was plastered, there would have been cloth napkins and charger plates.

Veronica brushed her fingertips over the soft ends of her hair, remembering how lost she had felt when she'd cut it. Remembering how much Duncan had loved her hair long.

"Started thinking about schools yet?" Keith had his fork poised over his plate, his eyes alight but not sharp. No animosity between them. No lamps would be thrown tonight, no demands made.

Duncan chuckled, sweeping up another forkful of rice. "I think my Dad's been thinking about schools since I was born."

"That must take all the fun out of it."

Duncan's foot nudged Veronica's under the table, and she startled back to their conversation with a sudden bright smile. "Yeah, Duncan. Filling out the FAFSA and applying for Pell Grants? That's what all the cool kids are doing."

"Never let it be said that I wasn't one of the cool kids."

Keith had just opened his mouth when his cell phone rang. He held a finger aloft as he put his napkin down, then went into the other room to answer it, leaving them alone.

Duncan's hand was warm on hers. "See? Nothing to worry about."

Veronica half-smiled at him, then leaned in close, and he dipped his head toward hers. "He's going to come back in here," she whispered, "tell us he has to go take care of something, and leave us alone with a Nanny Cam. Oh, and put a radio transmitter on your car."

Duncan laughed under his breath, then tilted his chin up to kiss her forehead. "Bring on the surveillance," he decreed.

"Oh?"

"We future presidents of the United States can't have anything less," he said, his voice heavy with sarcasm. "Plus, if I know you at all, you know exactly where the Nanny Cam is, and how to jam the radio transmitter."

Veronica batted her lashes at him. "It's always cat and mouse with us," she murmured, her eyes sparkling. "He bugs my phone, I activate the GPS in his cell; he checks the mileage on my car, I leave a hair on my diary to see if he's moved it..."

Duncan sighed. "Good times."

Keith came back in, and with some reluctance Veronica and Duncan sat back, his fingers still resting on her knuckles. "Well, I guess my karma hasn't entirely deserted me, after all."

"Cliff managed to find a buyer for all that premium H you confiscated last year?"

Keith snorted. "You weren't supposed to know about that. Although, at least this way I can keep you busy while I'm tracking down another bail jumper." He shook his head. "What would we do, if people didn't jump bail?"

"Starve," Veronica replied. "Or, maybe, booby-trap Lamb's house... ooh! I know what we can do with the H!"

"Don't make me get Sacks to babysit you."

Veronica pouted. "So, bail jumper. This means crazy fun party time for me, and a tour of the fine Mexican hospitality system for you."

Keith wagged his finger. "No... I don't think so. You see, there's a little something you get to do for me, to keep you out of trouble. And off the police blotter."

"Oh, Dad. When will you learn." Veronica propped her elbow on the counter, her chin on the heel of her hand. "Give me twenty minutes and a perfectly innocent errand, and Lamb will have me in a holding cell." She sighed. "I'm beginning to think his crush on me? Not so subtle."

Duncan couldn't hold back his laughter anymore. "Were you trying to say something, Mr. Mars?"

"See? There is some hope for kids today." He nodded approvingly at Duncan. "You interested in playing bodyguard for Little Miss Sassy, here?"

Duncan shrugged. "Life does seem so very dull, without her. I guess I can watch her smack around a few hardened criminals."

"You got that right," Veronica beamed. "Keep the taser at the ready, and we could make a good team."

--

Keith took the noon flight out that Friday, leaving Veronica fifty dollars for groceries, a promise that he would call when he was on the way back, and the address for a costume shop. Veronica sat down with her after-school snack, on the couch, and thoughtfully pocketed the money.

Duncan shouldered his backpack onto the couch and sat down beside her. "Costume shop?"

"Yeah." She shot a sideways grin at him. "I always thought you would look good in Spock ears, Duncan..."

He started tickling her, and she shrieked, writhing away from him. Backup woke up and ran in to see what was the matter, barking the whole way, until he saw Duncan. "Come on, attack!" she gasped, shoving her knees up between them to push him away, her eyes streaming with tears.

Duncan gave a burst of maniacal laughter. "I finally have you where I want you," he mock-leered, as Backup sat down, watching the two of them, his tongue hanging out.

With a final twist, Veronica managed to pull away from him, panting for breath through her laughter. "Okay, okay. No Spock ears. No more tickling."

Duncan nodded, then snatched one of her cookies. "How long until we have to get to the costume shop?"

Veronica glanced at her watch. "Soon," she sighed. "And we really need to get set up, too, so..."

"No playing tonight," Duncan finished. "Unless you wanted to, I don't know, come back to the Grand with me after. We could play video games, order room service, relish the fact that my mother's not around to walk in on us?" He wiggled his eyebrows.

"A night without Celeste." Veronica sighed dreamily. "You sure know how to treat a girl. Except for the pesky matter of the GPS in my phone..."

Duncan shrugged. "We'll figure something out," he said. "Always have."