It had been six years since Veronica left Neptune. She had broken any and all romantic ties and kept in contact with four people, her Dad, Wallace, Mac and Weevil. Apparently she had broke Piz's heart but truth be told, she had only felt guilty for a short amount of time and only because she really didn't care he was hurting. Maybe that made her a horrible person, she didn't really care about that either.
She hadn't told anyone why she left, and eventually her family of four stopped asking. If she was honest with herself, she left out of sheer shock and utter confusion. Because it just didn't make sense... Why? More importantly why her? Did he just pull a name from a fucking hat and jot that down?!
It had been two days since Lamb was hit with a Louisvile Slugger and admitted to the hospital and it was driving Veronica spare. Everytime she asked a Doctor about his condition she was simply told it was under review and she would be informed the moment any new information was availbe.
She hadn't left his side since he was admitted and she stopped asking for updates twelve hours ago, instead she just sat with him and talked.
She told him everything. Just like when he was Deputy and she was Goldilocks.
She told him about her rape, everything from Madison giving her the drugged drink to Duncans own drug trip, and eventually about Cassidy. She tells him that if he had looked into her rape maybe he could have saved Cassidy. She tells him she doesn't really think he could have saved Cassidy though, not really.
Cassidy needed his father who was too busy immasclating him, commiting fraud and looking for a trophy wife. She tells him that she blames Richard Casablancas Snr for not paying enough attention to his son. She cries for Cassidy. She tells him that while she feels violated and while she knows Cassidy shouldn't have done it, shouldn't have made her a victim as well, she knows he had it so much worse, and that he was just a little boy and Richard should have seen it, he should have known, he should have stopped it.
She tells him about Meg, how she found out about her parents abuse, how the very last time they spoke before she died she made Veronica promise her. Promise her that if anything should happen to her that she won't let her parents have Faith.
She tells him she's sorry for making him feel like an idiot when he realised he had driven Duncan Kane over the Mexican border, and that she hopes he understands that she had to keep her promise.
Eventually she's told him everything that she's kept in since he left her. Since he told her to go see the Wizard. Well, almost everything...
It's then the Doctor knocks on the door and tells her he has an update.
''Miss Mars, May I have a word?"
Veronica hesitated briefly before kissing Lambs temple and following him out the door and to a private waiting room.
"After extensive reviews of the Sheriffs health we see no possibility of him awakening. I know this is hard Miss Mars, but we strongly suggest you halt his life support system and consider organ donation." He spoke clear and callously, no hint of sympathy, empathy, nothing.
"Me? Why... Why would I... God! What right do I have to make that call?!" Veronica spluttered both angry and completely confused.
"Don Lamb had elected you as his next of kin, he has also given you legal permission to make any Medical decisions should he be unable to." He dead-panned.
As if she should have known,as if it were obvious that she was Don-freaking-Lamb's next of kin.
Shock shuddered through her body and suddenly she needed out. She just needed out.
"Yeah, Uh, Yeah... I knew that. Listen, um,I'll think about it right? I'll get back to you." With that finally out of her mouth, she ran. Ran through the halls and out the door, she was in her car and driving past the sign that told you Neptune would miss you before it occurred that her dad might freak.
Picking up her phone, she hit speed dial and it went straight to voice-mail. Part of her, okay, most of her was glad for that.
"Hey dad, look I need to get out of town for a while yea? Um, not sure when I'll get back or even where I'm going, but... they want to pull the plug on Lamb. Don't let them, don't let them kill my Deputy daddy." She choked sightly calling him the deputy. "Talk to you soon." Flipping it shut she threw it down like it was on fire and stepped on the gas.
After that pitiful display of... whatever, Veronica had high-tailed it out of Neptune and just kept driving. Eventually her Saturn broke down in New York, she picked up a cushy job as a newspaper photographer.
A year after leaving, against every word the doctors had said, Don Lamb woke up.
She didn't go back, she couldn't go back. If she did she'd have to face him eventually and what the hell do you say to someone who had entrusted their life to you? Even when they had a mutual agreement to emotionally damage one another on every given occasion?
So she stayed in New York.
