Welcome to Neptune
Disclaimer: I own nothing except the OCs and the storyline.
The small bell on the door let out a light sound, echoing over the noise in the busy diner. The hot air from the outside was let into the long restaurant reminding the customers that the air conditioning was the only thing keeping them cool from the scorching Nevada heat.
The small, blonde woman closed the door behind her and looked around for a table. She spotted a booth near the window and she made her way to it. As she sat down, she let out a sigh of relief stretching her cramped legs underneath the table. After three hours in a car she was glad for a stop. She took off the dark sunglasses and placed them on the table.
She took a moment to look around.
Always be aware of your surroundings.
She saw families eating their meals, couples holding hands over the table. She spotted two children sitting underneath a table, playing with teddy bears.
She looked out the window at the street, which was nearly empty of people and buildings.
It's safer to stop in small towns.
She had seen so many small towns over the years. She had lived in nearly every state, in small towns and big cities. She had lived in apartments, shared houses and hotel rooms. But she hadn't lived somewhere long enough to call it home.
Not in a very long time.
She stiffened slightly when she saw a boy talking to police officers. The two cops were standing in front of the boy who looked like a deer caught in the headlights. The boy, who looked to be in his mid-teens, was pulling the sleeves of his long sleeve t-shirt over his hands; he had nothing to hide, he was just nervous. He was shaking his head, licking his lips; all in all he was a nervous kid.
Parts of their conversation could be heard if you listened hard enough.
"I-I didn't do anything."
"We know kid; we just want to know why you are just standing around here."
"My Mom and Dad just went into the store. I'm sorry if I'm not supposed to be here!" "It's ok, there's no need to worry."
"It's just…I've never been stopped by a cop before."
"Calm down."
The window that the conversation was coming in was closed by the waitress and the three people the woman was watching soon became stars in a silent movie; their mouths were moving but she couldn't hear anything.
The waitress who closed the window came over to the blonde customer and followed her gaze to the boy and the police officers standing outside. "Poor thing, he looks scared out of his wits," she commented.
Veronica Mars looked up at the waitress and she nodded.
But this waitress didn't know that the blonde customer was Veronica; and that's how Veronica preferred it.
"So what would you like?" the waitress asked.
Veronica picked up her menu and scanned it for a few seconds. "I think I'll have pancakes with strawberries and a glass of orange juice please."
The waitress nodded, scribbling down the order and walking away. Veronica put down the menu and sat back in her seat. She looked up at the TV that was sitting up on the wall of the diner.
The news flashed across the screen. Blackmail, corruption, double crossing, pain and hurt.
"Story of my life," Veronica thought.
She thought Neptune was her problem. She thought it was the town. She was only partially right. It seemed her problems followed her even when she left Neptune.
Even after fifteen years she was still finding trouble. Maybe it was the fact that she was still in the private eye business. Maybe it was the fact that she was now an FBI consultant.
Either way Veronica Mars couldn't stay away from trouble. Or trouble couldn't stay away from her.
She absentmindedly raised her hand to touch the sliver chain around her neck. The ring that hung from it was cool against her skin and it jolted her back to reality; snapping her hand from the chain.
She hadn't worn the ring since she had left Neptune. Since Logan…
It was these moments that were the hardest. When she caught herself in a memory.
Of Logan, the man she left. Of her father, who was probably still looking for her. Of Wallace who was wondering where his son's godmother had gone. Of Weevil who had always had her back. Of Mac, who might be wondering where her friend was. She even thought of Dick sometimes and wondered if he had worked up the courage to actually ask Mac out.
She wondered these things and many times she thought about going back to Neptune and being with them all again. But every time she stopped herself.
Until a few weeks ago that is.
She had finally decided that it was time to stop running; that it was time to stand up and fight like she used to. The people that had been keeping her from Neptune, the people that had forced her to run in the first place were starting to pay for their crimes.
And now it was time to go back.
She ran a hand over her face as the waitress came with her order. Veronica smiled her thanks and the waitress walked away.
Veronica had taken a bite of her pancakes when the boy from outside came in.
But this boy acted like a completely different person from the one Veronica had seen outside. This boy was now confident, standing tall, like he had no care in the world.
He acted like those police men hadn't affected him at all. They hadn't really.
Veronica had seen it the second the police had started talking to him. He was pretending to be nervous, lying about never being stopped by a cop. He was a very good actor.
Even the police had believed him and left him alone. Veronica had only picked it up because of her training by the FBI.
The boy that had walked into the diner was not pretending now. The boy looked around and walked down the diner. He slid into the seat across from Veronica and picked up a spare fork that was lying on the table.
"Did they believe you?" she asked.
The boy dug his fork into her pancakes and took a bite. He swallowed his food and then smirked at her; that smirk throwing more memories at Veronica.
"They always do Mom; they always do."