Disclaimer: I do not own Veronica Mars or its characters or its story.
A/N: A little late, but I couldn't resist. I wanted to make another story that's set against a holiday season backdrop. Anyways, I was hoping I'd add to the very sparse collection of Piz fics around here. But, this isn't really Piz-centric. It's got a lot of other characters in it too. But, to prevent myself from rambling on and on and on and on..., I give you my second attempt at V Mars fanfic. Enjoy.
Title of story changed from 'Gold In Them Hills' to 'The Thirsty Scholar' after a local pub.
The Thirsty Scholar
By: Modern-English
Logan Echolls entered the Neptune Grand lobby, bypassing a very small bustle of guests and bell boys with certain ease, which seemed unusual considering the present date and time of the year. Today marked the official start of his week off from his freshman year at Hearst College, a break he neither anticipated nor dreaded. Since it was so close to the holidays, he wondered where the masses of rarely seen relatives and old-time friends coming down for the proverbial Christmas get-together and fruit cake were. He imagined more people checking in at the front desk, people lugging around primly wrapped gifts of all shapes and sizes and foreigners from near and far that grossly underestimated California's warm climate as they still donned their native Parkas and hefty-looking sweaters. At least things weren't chaotic. That, he thought to himself, was the last thing he needed now. For Logan, this holiday season seemed as vastly empty and uneventful as they appeared. Logan knew he had spoken too soon, rather thought too soon.
He instantly recognized the petite blonde who was waiting for assistance at the front desk, her back facing him. His feet felt rooted to the ground as he watched her for a moment, wondering how odd he must look to passersby. He drew in a considerable amount of air before calling, "Veronica?"
The blonde turned at the sound of his voice. "Hey." She said with a half smile.
Logan willed his stiff legs to approach her.
"You see, the whole point of a break is to actually take a break." Logan smirked and when she didn't respond he elaborated, "You know, a little R&R, restoring a natural sleeping pattern, catching up on the latest episode of your favourite show on the tube. Any of these ideas sound familiar or appealing to you at all?"
Veronica shook her head and replied, "Rest is for the weary, my friend."
"Is someone still on a finals high?" Logan questioned, raising a brow.
"It's the awful combination of Red Bull and Sour Patch Kids I took before my Criminology exam yesterday." Veronica confessed with an exaggerated sigh. "I don't think it's run its course through my system yet."
"How unfortunate." Logan said, giving her a sympathetic smile.
Veronica did not say anything for a time, heightening Logan's curiosity of her presence at the Grand.
Finally, she told him, "I was wondering if you could help me with something."
I'm always here for you, but you never need me. Although the prospect of being the least bit useful to her suddenly stirred something in him, the memory of these words instantly had their effect and deflated some of his momentary elation. He wasn't going to get his hopes up, he decided.
"I couldn't find your friend, the receptionist." Veronica crossed her arms. "Do you know what times she works?"
"Tina?" Logan said. "I suppose she's off today, but--"
"I need to know if Rory Finch checked into the Grand the night Dean O'Dell was shot." Veronica did not hesitate to explain.
"Hm." Logan feigned a pensive look.
Veronica waited a full minute before startling Logan from his chin-stroking thoughts to ask, "Well?"
"So," Logan answered slowly. "When exactly were you planning on taking a break?"
Veronica rolled her eyes. "It was nice seeing you Logan, but I have to go now. Get back to me if you hear from Tina."
Logan grabbed her arm to stop her. "Wait."
Veronica's eyes traveled from his hand, still holding her, to his weary-looking eyes. She hadn't noticed before, but he looked surprisingly worn. She was quick to assume that final examinations and several cramming sessions were to blame.
"You…left something in my room." Logan said, pocketing his hands. "You could pick it up."
Veronica let her arm fall to her side as he let go, her eyes downcast.
"I mean, you don't have to but—"
"Yeah." Veronica looked up, grinning. "Sure."
-
"You brought me all the way up here to give me my pen?" Veronica asked suspiciously.
"Actually it's my pen. I just couldn't think of another way to convince you to get up here and take a second to breathe." Logan said simply.
"Logan--"
"Just breathe, Veronica. For a second." Logan interjected.
"I am breathing." Veronica said indignantly.
Logan sighed, defeated. It was always stalemate when it came to giving her advice, but he seized any opportunity to do so.
"You didn't have to bring me up to your room to say that to me." She said this quietly as if she were trying to hide an underlying question.
"No. I didn't have to." Logan replied. "But, I--"
Logan stopped, swallowing a lump that suddenly formed in his throat. Veronica crossed her arms, looking everywhere else but at him. She felt her arms stiffen as his hand covered the side of her face, his index finger gliding over the rough, healed scar around her brow bone.
"What you did to Mercer--You didn't have to--" Veronica's voice grew quieter as he moved closer.
"I did." Logan said darkly.
Veronica nodded even though she did not agree.
"Look, I'm not trying to lecture you again, but--" Logan started.
"It sounds like you are." Veronica replied, trying to turn away.
"It's advice." Logan told her, steering her face to look at him.
His idle hand held one of her arms, which was still crossed tightly against her chest. Regardless of how guarded she looked, he drew threateningly closer towards her. She didn't move or uncross her arms and he took this as a sign to continue. He watched her eyes close in anticipation and he suddenly felt an irritating tug at the back of his mind. He stopped and cursed inwardly. He didn't mean to be this close to her, close enough to feel her warm breath against his mouth. He rested his forehead against hers and felt her sigh.
"I have to go." Veronica said meekly.
"I'm sorry." Logan said quickly as she backed away.
Veronica nodded as she left without bidding him a goodbye, leaving Logan to stare at his closed door.
-
"Was this the only way we could get over exams?" Mac inquired, looking dubious.
"It's a very effective distraction." Piz replied matter-of-factly.
"I here that." Veronica said and then sipped at her fruity vodka concoction.
"While you guys drown your sorrows in alcohol," Parker eyed Veronica, Piz and Wallace with concern. "Mac and I are choosing a less drastic approach by pigging out on the ultimate comfort food. Hot wings."
"I can't believe they didn't check for IDs." Wallace grinned. "I was kind of excited to flash our cards again."
"Well, this place isn't exactly known for being particular about laws, rules, regulations--" Veronica began to list, lazily.
"They aren't known for their quality of service or customers either." Mac rolled her eyes as two sorority girls, who were looking adequately exposed, passed by their booth.
"Can you believe we're halfway through freshman year?" Parker said cheerfully.
"Yeah, it's been...interesting." Piz said, wondering if he chose the right word to describe it.
Veronica took another swig of her cup before commenting, "It's been fanfrakintastic."
"It really has been, hasn't it?" Parker giggled as she was oblivious to Veronica's sarcasm. "I'm so glad that I met all of you."
"Let's drink to that." Veronica raised her cup, but looked disappointed. "All gone. I'll get another round."
Wallace chuckled and said, "Woah, slow down, Veronica. Wasn't that your third cup? You're not driving, are you?"
"I promised I'd drive her." Mac said, raising an index finger.
"Well, I'm going to have to pass anyway." Wallace said. "I'd like to be able to walk a straight line back to my dorm room tonight."
"I second that." Piz nodded in agreement. "Plus, I don't want the new RA busting our balls for coming back to the dorms completely smashed like some of the guys in our hall."
"He acts like he's the dean." Wallace grimaced. "I think he should stick to handing out room assignments."
"Fine. I'll just get one for myself." Veronica said impatiently and headed towards the bar.
Everyone around the table exchanged looks.
"This isn't about--" Piz started as soon as Veronica was out of earshot.
"Of course it is. What else would it be about?" Mac said, picking at her plate laden with greasy chicken wings.
Wallace shook his head. "I warned her about going to the Grand. She was supposed to avoid anything that would ruin this break. That includes--"
"Logan." Parker said.
Silence fell as Veronica appeared before their table, holding a cup that was filled with a new mixture. Everyone knew that she had heard Parker, but it seemed that there was an unspoken decision to pretend she missed it completely.
-
"You're drunk." Mac informed Veronica.
"I am not." Veronica responded loudly, leaning against her friend. "I'm perfectly fine."
Piz shot her skeptical look. Veronica, regardless of how dazed she seemed, caught this.
"Mac, Piz is looking at me weirdly." Veronica's whisper was louder than she meant it to be.
Piz felt his face flush and looked the other way.
"Mac, he's blushing now! Look!" Veronica giggled, pointing at Piz.
Mac's eyes grew wide. Veronica was giggling. Concerned, Mac draped Veronica's arms more tightly around her neck as they clumsily ambled towards her car.
"You know, I didn't really need any help bringing Veronica home." Mac said as she opened the back door of her car for Veronica. "I could've managed."
"A lot of things could potentially happen." Piz told her.
"Like?" Said Mac, buckling Veronica into the backseat of the car.
"Well, for example, if she happens to pass out, I could carry her into the house. I've had my fair share of drunken friends--"
"I am not drunk!" Veronica said angrily.
Mac closed her door, muting Veronica's protests.
"You were saying?" Mac crossed her arms.
"Well, I've had my fair share of drunken friends that I had to bring home. I've driven them home, helped them sober up…relatively anyway, and talked plenty of parents out of grounding."
"Impressive." Mac stroked her chin.
"Yeah?" Piz grinned.
"You've got the job." Mac shook his hand. "You're in the back with her. You can make sure she doesn't blow chunks all over my car."
That idea had slipped Piz's mind. He looked a bit frightened.
"Hey, I want shotgun!" Veronica pouted, crossing her arms.
Mac shook her head, ignoring this as she got into her car. Piz got in after her, finding his seat next to Veronica.
"Hey." Veronica leaned towards Piz.
Piz cleared his throat, "Hey." He said quietly.
Piz could not help but stare. Her eyes were half closed by heavy-looking eyelids and her mouth formed a lazy smile. By now, he learned to accept the fact that there wasn't any angle, light, or level of sobriety that could stop him from staring at her.
"You okay back there?" Mac asked, starting the ignition.
Piz shook himself from a reverie. "Y-yeah."
"We're neato!" Veronica gave Mac a double thumbs up.
Mac chuckled. "We should get her home before it gets weird."
"Before?" Piz said, keeping a wary eye out for Veronica.
-
"Watch her head." Mac whispered, following Piz into the quiet Mars household.
Piz carefully brought Veronica inside her home, making sure she didn't collide with the doorframe they entered from or anything else he could barely make out in the dark room.
"Aren't you glad you brought me along?" Piz gestured towards the sleeping form of Veronica in his arms.
"I'm sorry that I ever doubted you." Mac mocked shame.
"Where's her dad?" He queried.
"Probably working. Good thing Veronica gave me her keys." Mac said, blindly searching for a light switch. "Here it is."
The kitchen lights turned on and Mac continued to turn on the hallway lights. "Her room's on the left."
"Thanks." Piz replied, heading towards the narrow hallway that Mac pointed to.
"Hey, I need to use the washroom. So, once you get her in bed. I'll meet you outside, okay?" Mac said.
"Sure." Piz nodded.
Thankfully her door was not shut, so Piz pushed the bottom of the door open with his foot. In the moonlight, streaming through her window, he could see her bed. He slowly and silently made his way towards it. But, before he could even place her into her bed, she stirred in his arms. Her eyes fluttered open, but only slightly.
"Piz." Another lazy smile.
"Hey." He said quietly. "Um, Mac and I brought you home. You're in your room and--"
"You brought me to my room." She said dreamily.
It was bad enough that she was so close, touching him, but it was worse that she was looking at him the way she was.
"Put me down." She told him and he obliged.
She struggled to sit up, but Piz stopped her. Kneeling down next to her, he coaxed her to lie down. He also repositioned one of her pillows to rest more comfortably underneath her head and pulled the blanket at the edge of the bed over her.
"You need to rest." He said. "You're going to have a killer headache tomorrow morning. Hopefully, your dad doesn't get mad or--"
"Kiss me." She suddenly asked.
He seemed to be paralyzed by her words. He blinked several times before opening his mouth, only to have nothing come out.
"Aren't you going to kiss me?" She persisted, her eyelids looking heavier.
"I shouldn't." Piz sighed, relieved that she wasn't able to doubt the conviction in his reply like he did.
"So...you're not going to kiss me." Veronica wanted to clarify.
"No." Piz replied dejectedly.
"Rejected twice in one day." Veronica reflected, rubbing her eyes. "A girl can feel really unwanted after that."
"Logan." Piz said.
"And you." Veronica poked his chest, grinning.
Piz knew his place. He knew that he could do little to change the way things were. He knew yet he willed himself to do something, anything to prove that he wasn't completely useless. Avoiding grand gestures of romanticism, since he feared being exposed when he wasn't ready and assumed that she wasn't into that anyway, he offered small gestures instead. Sometimes he would give her music before a midterm or exam to either get her pumped or help her relax. Piz scoffed at the thought of this, wondering if she thought he was an idiot. He also went out of his way to contribute to the surprising number of investigations she was involved in throughout the past few months. He bowed his head as she continued to give him a wide, lazy grin with half-open eyes. Face it Piz, he thought inwardly, you're not her type. Regardless of this, he felt a gesture coming on.
"No matter how you feel, I can't believe for second that you'll ever be unwanted." Piz told her, resting a nervous hand near hers.
"I…I…" Veronica willed herself to complete her thought, but only managed a slur. "Mmmsleepysleep."
Veronica fell fast asleep as Piz lingered at her bedside, contemplating on what she might or might not have said. He shook his head. He decided that that was as close as he was going to get to confess to her. At least, for now that was all he could muster. He pulled her wooly blanket over her shoulders and soon got up to leave, hoping Mac wasn't waiting too long or mad or already back in her dorm room.
-
"You got in pretty late last night." Wallace said, packing his clothes into a large duffle bag.
"Yeah." Piz shrugged, packing his own clothes into his lumpy, brown luggage. "Sorry if I woke you up."
"Nah, man. It's okay." Wallace replied. "Veronica okay?"
Piz dropped a couple books he was trying to pack.
"She's fine. She's probably nursing a serious headache though." Piz said, picking up his belongings.
"She's not really like this, you know." Wallace said. "It's just that this town can get pretty...tiring, sometimes."
"You don't have to explain." Piz said. "I mean, from what you've already told me about what she's been through, I think Veronica deserves the benefit of the doubt."
Wallace nodded, zipping his duffle bag closed. "But, on behalf of Veronica, I apologize."
"I don't mind." Piz said.
Wallace gave him a knowing grin. "Right."
There was a knock at the door, so Wallace crossed the room to answer it.
"Merry Christmas!" Parker said brightly.
"Girl, tell me you made all of this for me." Wallace's eyes glazed over.
"Mac and I made them." Parker said as Wallace started sniffing the tray full of heavily decorated chocolate frosted cupcakes that she handled.
"Yeah, because when you sprinkle cupcakes with red and green candies, you must give credit where credit's due." Mac smirked. "It's really just Parker's handy work."
"Wallace, slow down." Parker swatted at his hands. "You need to share them with Piz, you know."
"I'm okay." Piz waved his hand, signaling Wallace to take a third helping.
Piz started ticking off his fingers, mentally checking off all the things he was bringing home when he felt his pocket vibrating. It was his cell phone and Veronica's name was flashing as his phone started play Crazy Train.
"Hello." He answered his phone.
There was silence on the other end of the line. Piz waited a couple minutes for a reply, but nothing came.
"Veronica?" He finally called.
"Mac told me about last night." Veronica broke her silence, sounding a bit groggy.
"Oh." Was all Piz managed to say.
"Sorry." She said.
"Don't worry about it." He assured her.
Silence again.
"Do you remember anything...from last night?" Piz was anxious to know.
"Umm." Veronica said. "Not particularly."
It was Piz's turn to be silent.
"Listen, if I said anything or did anything embarrassing just…please try to forget it." Veronica said, nervously laughing. "In fact, just forget the whole night even happened."
"Forget it?" Piz wondered if he could.
"Forget it." Veronica repeated.
After the cordial Christmas greetings and Veronica bidding him a safe trip home, they hung up. Piz sighed, knowing he wouldn't be doing any forgetting on the ride back home.
End.