Yeah, so I love AUs lately. This one is a future one. It takes place about five or six years after season one. Veronica has graduated college and it working as a reporter for a newspaper in L.A. Everything from season and the summer following it has happened, but nothing else from season two has happened. I think that it, but if I think of anything else, I'll leave another Author's Note. Please read and review!
--x--
"Nice job on the Andressi story, Veronica." Her coworker smiled slightly and very falsely as he paid her the small compliment in passing. Veronica nodded back, knowing full well that he didn't mean it. Cliff had wanted that story since the moment it broke and had gone postal when Veronica had gotten it. Well, too bad, Cliffy-boy. She had knocked it out of the park and she knew it. Just imagining the look on Cliff's face when he had read the article brought a smile to Veronica's gloss coated lips.
"What are you smiling about, Mars?" A familiar voice barked out. "Not getting cocky now, are you?" Veronica's editor tried to disguise his burgeoning smile beneath his salt-and-pepper mustache, but it didn't quite work.
Veronica smiled back. "Wouldn't dream of it, Mr. Leary."
"You did a nice job on the Andressi article, but you shouldn't let it go to your head. It's still way too early in your career to be counting your chickens," Mr. Leary warned.
"I know, I know," Veronica grumbled. "Couldn't just pay me a compliment, could you?" she teased lightly, knowing that compliments that weren't followed by some sort of criticism or warning were damn near impossible to get from Mr. Leary.
Mr. Leary grunted and walked away, leaving Veronica to chuckle to herself as she put away the oversized file in her arms. The drawer shook the desk when it closed, toppling over a framed photograph. The picture was familiar, bringing back memories sweet and unsettling from her teenage years. There was a grinning Veronica, her arms wrapped around her beaming father's neck, dressed in billowing graduation robes of emerald green, Neptune High's color. Keith's Mars's wife, Alicia Fennel, stood next to them, mugging for the camera with her son and Veronica's best friend, Wallace. But it was a small, blurred figure that caught Veronica's eye. It was someone she had never noticed in the picture before, looking on at the exuberant scene before him. Logan, standing alone, with no one to hug or congratulate him on what should have been one of the most memorable days of his life. Unfortunately, they had all had more than their share of memorable days before then, most of them unpleasant. The clanging of the phone diverted Veronica's attention away from her blast to the past. "Veronica Mars," she answered briskly.
"Hi, Veronica, this-this is Alicia." Alicia's voice quavered as she spoke and for some reason sent chills racing up Veronica's spine. "We have a problem here and we could really use your help."
Veronica sat bolt upright. "What is it, Alicia? Where's my dad?" An intern tried to catch her attention, but Veronica waved her away irritably.
"He-I don't know," Alicia admitted. Veronica could tell the woman was close to tears as she added, "He hasn't been home for a few nights. I know he sometimes leaves unexpectedly, but he hasn't called or anything and I know he's been working on a big case."
Veronica hit a few keys on her keyboard and seconds later Expedia opened up. With a few more deft strokes of the keys, Veronica had booked the next flight from L.A. to Neptune. "Alicia, I'll be there in a few hours. Can someone pick me up at the airport?"
"Yes, of course. I'll send Wallace," Alicia readily agreed.
As soon as she hung up with Alicia, Veronica called her editor over. "Listen, Mr. Leary, I'm gonna need to take a few vacation days, starting now. There's been a family emergency back home and I've gotta fly back ASAP."
A look of concern fell upon Mr. Leary's face. "Is everything all right?"
"Yes," Veronica assured him. She had pulled out her cell phone and was quickly thumbing through her contacts until she hit upon a number she used to know by heart. "Hey, Weevil," she said when he answered. "Guess who?"
"Veronica Mars," Weevil answered without hesitation. "How you been, girl? I hear you're a big shot writer up there in L.A. now. No more food stamps for you, huh?"
"Don't beat around the bush, Weevil. You heard about my dad?" Veronica continued gathering her stuff, ignoring Mr. Leary, who was still standing in the doorway to Veronica's cubicle, wearing a confused expression. Veronica brushed by him on her way to the elevator. There was no time to fill Mr. Leary in on her soap opera of a life.
"Yeah…You're tilting your head and smiling, aren't you?" Weevil asked warily.
"How'd you know?"
"I dunno. Must be psychic."
Can you guess what I'm gonna say next?" she asked as she pushed the down button by the elevator.
"Do me a favor?" Weevil asked in a falsetto.
"Wow, you really are psychic!"
"Yeah, I might even get a booth at the carnival this year."
"That'd be a sight I'd have to see," Veronica teased. "Now about that favor, I need you to start checking out the local scene, bars, night clubs, anywhere you think someone who knows anything about my dad would be. I'll be in town in a few hours, but the trail is getting colder by the minute. Can you get your boys on it?"
""Course," Weevil told her. "See ya soon, V."
"See ya soon," Veronica repeated softly after Weevil had hung up. She was going back to Neptune. Just when she thought she was out, they pulled her back in. Now she just hoped her father could hang on until she tracked him down.
-x-
The plane's engine rumbled underneath her. Veronica wished it would lull her to sleep, but knew it would be next to impossible. Her brain was buzzing with thoughts and memories of her father and Neptune in general. Her father had always been her strength, the shoulder she leaned on when her protective outer shell failed her. Without him, Veronica knew she would have lost herself during high school, especially that horrible year following Lilly's murder. He had said once that if it hadn't been for him, Veronica wouldn't have had to get through that year. That wasn't true. She had still lost her best friend and sheriff or not, her dad wouldn't be able to change that. And even if she hadn't been outcast by her oh-so-nice peers, she knew her loss of status would have been great. Without Lilly and Duncan by her side, she wasn't anything special. No, either way she would have had to survive that year and her dad was the reason she had. Now she had to help him survive. She only hoped she could.
-x-
"Yo, V!"
Veronica smiled she recognized the voice and spun around to face her best friend. "Wallace, my brutha!" she called out, struggling through the throng to reach him. His hand appeared before her and she grabbed it, allowing herself to be pulled from the innards of the crowd. She threw her arms around Wallace, enveloping him in a bear hug. "I've missed you," she said softly.
He squeezed her and answered in a whisper, "Same here." Then in a louder, playful voice, he added, "Seriously, though, what's not to miss about me?"
"I think it's this hair I've missed most," Veronica told him jokingly, running her fingers through his thick hair. 'Ah, heaven!" she sighed in a dreamy voice.
Wallace shook his hair wildly and laughed. "Oh yeah, I get that all the time." He led to way to baggage claim and the two fell into a slightly awkward silence. Finally, after several failed attempts consisting of his mouth opening a closing like a fish's, Wallace managed to piece to together what he hoped was an appropriately comforting sentence. "I'm sorry about your – our – dad. Anything I can do? Run license plates, meet up with sexy widows?"
Veronica laughed. "You just did it…little brother."
"It's three months! And did I call it or what when I said you were a marshmallow?" Wallace teased, lifting her olive green suitcase off the baggage belt and leading her to the car.
"Shut up," Veronica said before letting out a noise that sounded like a sob that changed its mind too late and wasn't able to become a laugh in time. She tried to discreetly wipe her moist eyes as she ducked into the passenger seat of Wallace's car, but Wallace picked up the deft motion.
Wallace quickly jumped into his seat and wrapped Veronica in another hug. "Veronica, it's gonna be okay. We aren't even positive anything is wrong yet. He might just be lying low for a while as part of a case and can't get to a phone."
Veronica sniffed, a faint pink tinge coloring her cheeks. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to blubber all over your nice, used car here, but it's just that I can't help feeling something is really wrong. What if I never get to see him again?"
"Hey, hey, none of that. We're gonna find Keith. I swear on my hair," he added lightly. He was gratified when she cracked a smile and rubbed the remaining tears from her eyes.
"How Lifetime movie do we sound?" Veronica asked in a husky voice.
"We could give those B-list actors a run for their money," Wallace agreed. He turned the key in the ignition and pulling from the airport parking lot.
Twenty long minutes later, the two best friends pulled up in front of a familiar suburban home. Their little half-brother came running out to greet them.
"Veronica! Veronica! Mommy says you're gonna help find Daddy," he yelled as he wrapped his arms tightly around Veronica's jean-clad legs.
"Hey, Ryan. Your mommy's right. I'm gonna find Daddy," Veronica reassured him.
Ryan looked up at his sister with wide eyes. "Promise?" he asked softly.
"Promise," Veronica said, lifting him up and embracing him. Alicia appeared at the door and Veronica saw that she had been right to assume Alicia was crying. Veronica slowly made her way across the yard and up the porch steps. Standing in front of her step-mother, Veronica couldn't help but feel awkward. For some reason, she still felt semi-loyal to her real mother, despite Lianne having given her every reason to turn on her and then some. Shaking her head imperceptibly, clearing off those thoughts and feelings swirling around her. This wasn't about Lianne or Alicia. It was about her dad. Veronica leaned forward to give Alicia a brief hug, but Alicia latched on and held Veronica close, extending their hug for much longer than Veronica had intended. And Veronica had to admit it didn't feel at all bad to get a hug from a mother, even a step-mother.
Wallace cleared his throat from behind them, clearly wanting to put Veronica's heavy suitcase down.
Alicia reluctantly let go and hoarsely whispered, "I'm glad you here."
Wallace moved past them and down a long hallway. Ryan gripped Veronica's hand in his won and led her after him. In a moment, they reached a small but comfortable decorated in light pink. Veronica smiled warmly, realizing this was her room. They had saved it for her. Wallace saw her smile and quickly took the credit. "Thought you'd like it, you being a marshmallow and everything."
Flopping back onto the made-up bed, Veronica sighed. "Thanks, Wallace, but you didn't really think that would distract me, did you?"
"It was worth a try." Wallace shrugged and lay down next to Veronica. "So what're you gonna do next?"
Veronica propped herself up on her elbows. "Weevil and the PCH-ers are working the local scene, checking out the usual badasses, but I don't think he'll find anything. I have a feeling this is something bigger. After all, nothing happens accidentally here. No, I have to go in a different direction. I think it's time I paid the friendly local sheriff a visit. Think he'll be happy to see me?"
Wallace just shook his head and laughed.
-x-
Veronica entered the sheriff's department, smiling at those deputies she knew. They, in turn, gave her glares or secret smiles, depending on whether they had supported Lamb or her father in the election. Her father's supporters had to keep their smiles secret because Lamb would have their jobs if he knew they were still loyal to Keith Mars. She approached the desk and smiled warmly at the familiar deputy seated there.
"Hey, Leo," she greeted him.
"Hi, Veronica." He smiled for a second and then a horrible thought seemed to strike him and his smile gave way to a frown. "I'm really sorry about your dad."
Veronica squeezed his hand and replied, "Thanks. I need to see the sheriff. Is he here?"
"Yeah, hold on." Leo disappeared through a nearby door and a second later Sheriff Don Lamb emerged.
"Veronica Mars. Look what the cat dragged in." Lamb crossed his arms and stared at the petite woman in front of him.
Smiling humorlessly, Veronica shot back, "Yeah, I know. How did you fit in that poor cat's mouth?"
Lamb treated her to one of his patented glares.
"Wow, you still got it. Did you use that glare in your election campaign? Cause that could be what won you those votes."
"What do you want, Mars?"
"My father. Missing 73 hours. What are you doing to find him?" she demanded. "And I hope for your sake it's something good."
"We have a deputy on it. We're thinking he might have left his wife," Lamb informed her smugly.
Livid, Veronica yelled, "That's bullshit and you know it. My father didn't leave."
"How can you be so sure? You haven't been home in how long? Two years, is it? Maybe things have changed."
"I know my father and he would never leave," Veronica declared adamantly, remembering her high school days, when she and her father had been so close. True, they'd grow apart in the past few years, but nothing could change that much. Her father stuck with things when they got hard.
"Oh, that's right. You're mother is the one that leaves, right?"
Veronica stared angrily and forced herself not to slap him. He would just love a chance to arrest her.
"What are you gonna do now? Go all Nancy Drew again?"
"That's exactly what I'm gonna do." Turning on the heel of her black boots, Veronica stormed off furiously.
