A one-shot based off of the episode 'Veronica'
Reli :)
The Way He Looks at Her
"Who are you? What is this place? How did I get here?" The woman, Veronica, asked. Her voice sounding lost.
Ria made to answer her but as she glanced up her thoughts were cut off. Loker had just come through the door. But instead of Loker's usual appearance his face was covered in angry red cuts and bruises. She swore her brain stopped working for a second.
"Oh my god..." Loker made a small sound in reply.
Leaping out of her chair Ria made beeline for the first aide kit. Loker sat himself at the table and she quickly joined him.
'Oh god, that looks like it really hurts' she thought to herself as she made a face, taking in his full appearance.
Pulling out the hydrogen peroxide and a few cotton pads she poured some onto the pad and started dabbing at his face.
Almost immediately after Ria started playing nurse, Veronica swooped in. She took the swab saying, "Oh I should do that, don't you think?", Ria was startled. She watched her applying the liquid to Loker's face without hesitation, as if she had been trained, Loker let out a small yell of pain.
"Do you know why bruises change color? When blood vessels burst hemoglobin leaks into the layers of your skin. To clean it up, the body sends cluster of white bloods cells to break down the iron and other proteins as iron is digested, the color changes " Veronica went on, cleaning Loker's wounds.
Ria scrutinized her face, attempting to determine why the woman seemed so familiar with medicine.
"Are you a doctor?" Loker hesitantly asked her silent question. Veronica let out a small chuckle.
"I was a nurse. And that's how Burt and I first met" As she continued her story brought a slight smile to Ria's face. Whoever this woman was she had deep affection for the way in which seh met "Burt".
Veronica wandered back to her previous table directly in front of Emily. Ria and Loker looked on as Veronica took the teen's hands and spoke directly to her.
"He took both my hands saying he could read how much of a toll my job was taking. And that I should find something, someone to take the pressure off. Let's just say...he was that someone and gave me something that changed my life" As Veronica spoke the words, Loker and Ria slowly looked at one another. Silently conversing with their eyes, unanswered questions about Veronica's past swam in their gaze. And...something else. Ria couldn't explain it but Veronica's words were soft and sure and they made her think.
"He...had a way of looking in my eyes. Funny how there really are no accidents in life" In that moment Ria snapped back into reality, realizing Loker was still looking at her, and she at him. She quickly averted her gaze.
"Well, wh-what was wrong with him?" Emily questioned. Veronica rose again and moved back to Locker, resuming her care.
Ria was curled up on her couch, watching a movie. But she could not focus on the characters or the plot. Her mind kept wandering to what Veronica had said a few days ago.
"He was that someone and gave me something that changed my life..." The words played on in her head. Would she ever find that person? Had she already found him? Her thoughts wandered to a certain co-worker. No, she couldn't get involved with Loker she kept reminding herself to forget about him. And yet lately she found herself thinking of the past kisses they had shared, the moments. Today, when she had just about had a heart attack when she saw his face beaten. Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud knock on her door. She glanced at the clock it read 11:28 P.M.
A bit late for visitors...
She slowly rose, padding to her apartment door. She looked through the peephole. A distorted image of Loker stared back ather. 'Speak of the devil' she thought. She unlatched the various locks on the door and opened it slightly.
"What are you doing here?" Loker stared for a moment before speaking.
"Just wanted some company. Was thinking maybe you did too? Sorry it's late. You know what? I can leave. I'm sorry I bugged you". He started making excuses before she even spoke. As he turned away, Ria stepped out, placing her hand on his arm. Loker turned, staring at her."He...had a way of looking in my eyes".
"Um, no it's fine. You can come in" She turned and he followed her. She pointed him to the couch as she made her way into the small kitchen.
"Do you want something to drink? Beer, tea, coffee?" She listed, rummaging through her cabinets for some mugs.
"Coffee sounds good thanks" Loker called from the living room.
She poured them each a cup from the batch she had brewed recently. She took the two mugs into the living room where Loker lounged on the couch. She handed him the mug as she mad herself comfortable at the other end of the sofa.
"Your face looks better" She stated. Loker took a sip of the coffee.
"Yeah, yeah it feels a lot better too"
"So you gonna tell me how it ended up that way?" Ria gave him a pointed look. Loker sighed.
"I already told you- life"
"That's not an answer" she complained.
"Yes it is. And it's not a big deal stop worrying"
"You face looked like someone's punching bag. What am I supposed to do?". The pair continued to bicker back and forth, laughing and talking late into the night. At some point Ria stopped and looked at Loker sitting across from her, teasing her about the cheesy Lifetime movie she had been enjoying, and smiled. She was starting to feel a lot more than friendship for her co-worker. "Funny how there really are no accidents in life".