A/N: Okay, so this isn't helping get my WIPs written, but I couldn't help myself. My crazy LoVe fans, please forgive me but I had to do it, I love Weevil too much to miss this oppurtunity!

(Disclaimer: All recognisable characters from Veronica Mars belong to Rob Thomas, and other people that aren't me!)

"Fill her up, bartender!" Veronica ordered with a grin, before laying her head down on her arms that were crossed upon the bar itself.

"You don't think we had enough now?" her drinking partner asked her, with genuine concern in his tone and looks, but the blonde just laughed.

"Aaw, can't the biker hold his drink anymore?" she giggled and hiccuped simultaneously.

"It ain't me I'm worried about" Weevil told her a little crossly, knowing she already understood that even in her drunken state.

He couldn't really blame her for wanting to get hammered. After all, she'd had kind of a tough time lately. She might be better off than him for cash and had at least one family member to care, but in a lot of other ways she had suffered as much if not more than him. She'd been too long without a best girl friend, and as for boyfriends, well, the list was long and ugly.

Veronica was usually too sensible to let herself get in this kind of state, but right now all her brain was focused on was the mess that was her love life. Piz seemed decent, the first genuinely decent guy she'd dated perhaps. He was almost painfully boring but she put up with that, so determined was she to actually date someone nice, just for once. It wasn't that her other relationships had been a hundred percent disastrous from beginning to end but they'd turned sour all too easily.

"What do I have to show for it?" she thought aloud, at which Weevil frowned some, "All these guys that walked in and out of my life..." she said, walking her fingers across the bar as if to demonstrate her point, "Duncan lied to me, Troy screwed me over, Logan... God, I can't even think about him right now" she groaned, putting a hand over her face.

"Gotta say, V, your taste in rich white boys needs some fixin'" her friend smirked, as he accepted the next drink that was put in front of him and sipped at it, "Maybe you should try somethin' different"

"I did!" she practically exploded, head coming up off the bar as she pointed a finger in indignation, "I tried normal boy, nice boy" she protested, all the fight going out of her as she thought about it more and let her head fall back to the bar, "Least he was supposed to be"

Yeah, Piz was supposed to be the good guy, the complete opposite to Logan in a lot of ways. He wasn't as much fun as her ex either, but Veronica tried not to think about that, just concentrated on how well he treated her and how decent he was. Decent went out of the window when she realised he'd taped the two of them getting naked and friendly and emailed it to the whole world! Now she officially hated all men, well, almost anyway. One of her few exceptions was here with her now and she was grateful for it. Wallace felt torn between his two friends, unsure as to whether to believe Piz's pleads of innocence or Veronica's accusations, and Keith would hardly approve of Veronica's plan to get out of her tree on booze. That left Weevil to be her somewhat-reluctant drinking buddy.

"You gotta learn, girl" he shook his head, downing the rest of his drink, "Ain't no such thing as a nice guy" he told her definitely, "and this" he added, shaking his near empty glass at her before replacing it on the bar, "it ain't the way to get over one either"

"I know" Veronica sighed, downing her drink in one anyway and wincing a little at the after taste, "but so far it's helping" she smiled, that grin giving way to uncharacteristically girly giggle as she slumped over the bar once again, "Weevil, why can't I be normal?" she asked then, serious in a moment as she stared up at him, eyes wide and innocent like a little girl that just needed a hug.

It pulled at the biker's heart to see her like this. Veronica Mars was tough on the outside, but inside, well, someone once said she was a marshmallow, and Weevil couldn't argue with that. He knew from experience that an attitude, clever comebacks, even fast flying fists, it wasn't enough to stop your heart from getting battered and bruised. Someone was always going to get you in the end, screw you up on the inside and make it hurt bad. Your face could keep on smiling only so long when your heart was breaking.

"Hey, who wants to be normal anyway?" he said, forcing a smile as he got up from his barstool and winced a little when he put weight on his injured knee.

He wasn't going to sit here and watch this young woman destroy herself with drink. She was half way there already, but the train stopped here, Weevil decided. He couldn't stand by and let her do this to herself, she meant too much, always had and always would.

"Whatcha doin?" she asked when she realised he was moving, even more so than the room that seemed to swing and shake before her tired eyes.

"I'm takin' you outta here before the worst gets worse" he told her, realising she was never going to walk a straight line on her own.

With a sigh like it was a hardship to get close to her, Weevil wrapped a strong arm around Veronica's waist and lifted her down off her barstool. Her feet touched down on the floor at odd angles to each other, her co-ordination completely shot. The girl wasn't much of a drinker most of the time so it wasn't a huge surprise she couldn't hold her liquor. Weevil may have knocked back a few shots tonight, but he wasn't even close to drunk, he'd had way more practice than the little blonde who was much less able-bodied tonight than he'd ever seen her.

"Oopsie" she chuckled, when she tried to steady herself and found it near impossible, "I don't think these shoes work right" she told Weevil in a whisper near his ear, as if it were some kind of secret to share.

"I think it's more the feet in the shoes that ain't co-operating'" he told her, a little wary of the attention they were getting from fellow patrons of the bar.

He did consider just picking Veronica up and carrying her out of the place, in this state she was hardly likely to argue, but she could very well make a noise about it and he wasn't completely certain his knee would hold. Besides, right now, Weevil could use a few less people staring, not a few more, and so made do with pulling her arm up around his shoulders and getting her to lean his way a little as he half-dragged her towards the main door.

The fresh air hit Veronica like a smack in the face, and one she really could've done without. Her head was entirely fuzzy, but right now that was a good thing, because each time the fog cleared she was just reminded of the mess that was her life, or at least the romantic part of it. One after the other, boyfriends had deceived her, cheated, lied, and hurt her. Her father she could trust, Wallace was decent but pretty much a brother, and that left Weevil.

"Hmm" the sound she made was thoughtful as the man holding her set her carefully against the side of his car whilst he hunted through his pockets for the keys, "You used to have a bike" she said, like it was some kind of revelation, arms waving in a wild gesture that Weevil could imagine Veronica thought looked like she was holding handle-bars and revving an engine.

"Yeah, well, be glad I traded up" he said, opening up the passenger side door of the car and then moving to help her up off the hood, "I don't think you'd hold on too well on the back of my old ride right now" he told her, as she leaned her weight on him.

"I don't know" Veronica said softly as she gazed up at him through her lashes, "I can hold on pretty tight" she smirked, a twinkle in her eye that was unmistakable, but Weevil couldn't go there with her, not now, not like this.

Without a word he manoeuvred her into the car, mindful of where his hands were and what message he was putting out there. His objective was to get his girl home safe, and not to dwell too much on the fact that he'd just called her 'his girl' inside of his head again. That happened a lot lately, too often for his liking but there didn't seem to be anything he could do to stop it.

Unfortunately, a more important thought hit Weevil as he got into the car beside Veronica, ensured her seat-belt was on tight and started the engine.

"Hey, your old man is gonna flip big style I take his baby girl home like this" he realised aloud, "I can take you to your friends dorm or something if you want?"

"Dad's out of town" Veronica shook her head back and forth where it lay against the head rest, "Mac was going out tonight..." she trailed off then, looking a little green, "Does your car always shake so much?" she asked, swallowing hard, as Weevil sighed.

"Okay" he said, leaving her odd question unanswered as he put the car in gear, concentrating only on getting the drunk girl somewhere safe and where she wasn't going to puke on anything damageable.

It maybe wasn't the brightest of ideas for him to drive after drinking, but Weevil knew the route from bar to home like the back of his hand already and gave the road all of his concentration. Hell, anything was easier than giving V his attention, as if she wasn't undeliberately attracting it all the same. She didn't have to dress to impress in order to be damn hot and somehow she could flip from that to cute as a kid in a second. The mix of sassy young woman and innocent child was a kind of lethal combination that Weevil found hard to resist.

He did her favours because she did the same for him, told himself he wouldn't care about her otherwise, but it was crap, and he knew it. She wasn't Lilly, though they shared the same hair colour and a little of the attitude. No, he wasn't looking for a substitute for his long gone ex, wasn't looking for anything at all until one day he looked up and realised she was there and he loved her. When it happened exactly, Weevil wasn't certain, only that it was somewhere between her bustin' him out of jail for the very first time and them breaking out of Neptune High. Could've been any one of a million moments really, but as much thought as Eli had allowed himself to spend on the topic, he never came up with an answer.

"Ooh, perfect" Veronica said suddenly, as she found something that pleased her on the radio.

Honestly, he'd been so distracted by his own thoughts, Weevil barely noticed she'd been messing with the dial until an old song filled the car and Veronica began singing and humming along, waving her arms and wriggling in her seat, in what he could only imagine would be dancing if she were on her feet.

"I met him at the candy store..." she warbled, humming her way through words she didn't remember until the chorus kicked in, "That's when I fell for the Leader of the Pack" she declared, not quite in tune, before copying the motorcycle sound effects incredibly badly.

Weevil couldn't help but laugh along with her at her shocking attempt at karaoke, and the irony of the song lyrics. As if a girl like her would fall for a guy like him, it'd never happen. She had a thing for bad boys, that's what she said, but they were just rich white wanabees, and she ought to know that better than anyone. She really wanted a guy like that she'd have been on Weevil's arm long ago, so clearly his wanting her was futile. Eli was resigned to hardly ever getting what he wanted, and she was no exception.

"Okay, enough karaoke" he said, shutting off the radio as he pulled the car up outside his home, "We need to get you inside, and fast" he said as he looked around, checking nobody was likely to see them.

He could use some of his more unseemly neighbours not catching sight of the drunk white chick in his car. People would talk, and another piece of Veronica's reputation would fall by the way side - he didn't want that for her. Deep down she was a good girl, trouble just seem to find her more often than not. Weevil would like to say that was at least one thing the two of them had in common, but honestly, he did like to go looking for trouble for a while there.

"This isn't my house" Veronica frowned as Weevil opened the passenger side door and helped her out of the car, "Hey, isn't this your house?" she checked, sure she recognised it, though with her mind in its nicely foggy state she couldn't really be certain of anything.

"That's why you're a detective, ain't it?" he teased her, as he held her up as best he could, closed the car door, and locked the vehicle up.

Getting her inside wasn't so hard, getting her to keep her voice down was a little more complicated, Weevil found, as Veronica decided to start up on another chorus of the Leader of the Pack.

"Hey, you wake the neighbours, they're gonna be all kinds of pissed, and I can do without it, comprendez?" he told her as he got inside and she slumped unceremoniously onto the couch.

Weevil honestly wondered what the hell he'd been thinking bringing her here like this. She was going to be a nightmare to deal with in this state. Despite how out of it she'd seemed at the bar, she'd found some energy from somewhere. Veronica apparently did not want to sleep yet, didn't even want to sit still, which made him think he had done the right thing tonight. Taking her home meant leaving her alone in the house, drunk and clumsy. Her Dad could well find her in some awkward inexplicable position when he arrived home in the morning, and Weevil didn't like the idea of knowing he could've prevented that and didn't, hence bringing V here and offering up his own space to her. He hadn't counted on the other effects the booze might have on her, but he was about to find out, as he turned around, leaning against the end of the couch to take the weight off his leg, and found she was messing with the radio in the opposite corner of the small room.

Weevil watched her a minute, arms folded across his chest as he observed her. In that instant he wanted to break the legs of every guy that ever hurt her, and at the same time, a part of him was just a little glad she had no luck with any of them. After all, she wouldn't be here with him now if she'd stayed happy with Logan or Piz or any of those other losers.

"C'mon" she said suddenly right in front of him, "Dance with me" she urged him, staggering some, and pouting like a kid when he wouldn't do what she wanted immediately.

"I don't dance, V" he told her, not letting her get a hold on his hands which seemed to be her aim, to entwine her fingers with his own and pull him upright - she didn't stand a chance.

"Everybody dances" she rolled her eyes, not giving up yet, "C'mon, Eli" she urged him, deliberately being as alluring a possible as she leant into him, emphasising the name that usually he would maim a person for using, but somehow when she called him by his given name, it just felt good... too good.

"One dance" he relented, knowing he'd get no peace til he gave in, "And then to bed" he told her, speaking the way he would to his niece when she wouldn't behave, determined to get another story out of him or similar before she'd give up for the night and sleep.

"Mr Navarro, I'm not that kind of girl" Veronica joked, taking his words in a way she knew they would never have been meant, at least he knew that's what she thought.

Weevil never told Veronica how he felt about her. A little flirting now and then, but he kept his guard up when it came to his heart. Many would say he didn't feel at all, tough ex-gang guy like him. He hoped Veronica knew better than that, when she was sober at least, but not enough to suspect how much he really cared.

Right now she was killing him, as she leaned her body against his, rocking to a slow song on the radio. Hell, he didn't have to love her to be sent crazy by a warm and willing female form pressed up against him, and willing she certainly seemed to be from the way she was clinging to him, and from where her hands were headed...

"Hey, ease up, sister" he snapped, pushing her away some but forced to keep his hands at her waist for fear her collapsing altogether if he didn't.

"I'm not your sister" she giggled, shaking her head, then looking far too serious when her eyes met him, "but... I could just be yours" she said, looking so innocent somehow, Weevil was sure couldn't have any idea what she was doing to him.

"You pick your moments, Mars" he told her, forcing himself to keep control right now and almost failing entirely as she put a hand to his face, his eyes falling shut of their own accord.

"And hasn't life taught you, Eli" Veronica whispered, "to seize the moment?" she said as she moved in close as she could get and put her lips to his.

In a sober state, Weevil knew she would never do this, and that was both his argument for and against kissing her right now. He was never going to get another chance like this, but was a few seconds of heaven worth her hating him in the morning when the fog in her brain cleared and she recalled what he'd done? Hell, it wasn't a crime to kiss a woman however drunk she was, and telling himself he had enough control for the both of them to stop this thing before it went too far, he allowed himself to let go, just for a minute. He poured all he felt for her into that one brief moment of passion, leaving her breathless, giddy, and never wanting him more.

Veronica almost completely toppled over as she reached for more of the contact that was gone just when she was really in the moment. It took everything Weevil had to keep her at arms length right now, but he had to do it. She might be pissed at him tomorrow for even that deep and meaningful kiss, if she remembered it. If they did anything else, not only would it be a cheap and nasty way to have her, it would mean the end for their friendship. That was the most he could probably ever wish for from Veronica Mars, he wasn't going to give that up for anything.

"I thought..." she said with a look both angry and sad somehow, "I thought you were different, that you cared" she complained, and he honestly wasn't sure if she'd rather hit him or cry all over him right now.

"Hey, it's 'cause of that we ain't..." he started, knowing he didn't know how to tell her any of this and that she wouldn't understand or remember even if he did, "V, y'know you mean the damn world to me, babe" he told her, hating that he might've hurt her at all, "but... Look, here's the deal" he said, trying to get her to look at him, "You still want me in the morning when your liver ain't drownin' in vodka shots, I'm there" he promised, "but for tonight, you gotta sleep off the booze and depression on your own, okay?" he said, gesturing back to the bedroom which he would give up for only her, taking the couch and risking worse aches and pain than he already suffered at times.

Her muttered reply seemed to be agreement, as she untangled herself from his arms and walked shakily towards the next room. Weevil watched her go and let out a breath he barely knew he'd been holding. That was too close. A few more seconds of her coming on all hot and heavy and he might have lost all resolve to be a good guy for once in his life.

"Eli" her voice from the bedroom doorway was both music to his ears and a bolt of pain through his body as he turned to look at her, "Thank you" she smiled, and though he wasn't sure exactly what she was grateful for, he returned the smile she gave him before she disappeared into his room, pushing the door closed behind her.

Weevil sat himself down on the couch, trying to figure out how the hell he was going to get a good night's sleep here. The lumps in the cushions weren't the problem, neither was the bust spring, or the draught from the front door. Nope, the problem Weevil had was a certain little blonde woman, still humming Leader of the Pack as she climbed into his bed alone, and settled down to sleep.

A/N2 : So, this was going to be a one-shot, but I'm now thinking two-parter as I want to write the morning after... what do you think?