Title: Rebel Yell
Author: Batdz Angel
Disclaimer: I don't own Veronica Mars; the show and the characters are property of Rob Thomas and UPN. I also don't own the song lyrics quoted here or in the title; they belong to Billy Idol. This song is the one song that always make me dance, wherever I am.
Word Count: 4272
Pairing/Character: WeeVer friendship/romance, mentions of Lilly/Weevil romance, Logan/V friendship and Duncan/V relationship.
Rating: PG-15 for allusions to sexual situations.
Archive: Just drop me an e-mail or message on my Livejournal and let me know where. I'm always up for sites dedicated to my OTP.
Summary: She said, 'Honey, baby, you gotta license for love. And if it expires, rain hell from above'.
Spoilers: Up to "Donut Run".
Author's Note: I had requests for a sequel to my fic Just We Two, so I figured what the hey, I'll write one and maybe another, even a series now that school's over this semester.
--
"So, this is it?"
She looks up, meeting his eyes before sighing deeply. Swallowing, she rubs her hands against her jean-clad thighs and says, "Yeah. This is it."
Duncan Kane stares at Veronica Mars, jaw tightening as he presses his hand against the doorframe. She stands before him in jeans and a gray t-shirt, blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. Her face is void of makeup and she shifts uncomfortably under his scrutiny. He doesn't understand the girl before him, doesn't understand how after weeks of being gone she can appear at his door and say that they are over.
'Had they ever really been together?' he wonders to himself but says instead, bitterness coating his words, "Does this have anything to do with Weevil?"
Her eyes shoot up to meet his, a warning flaring to life in the blue orbs and he realizes that this is Veronica. This isn't the girl he remembers, the girl he had loved with all of his heart, the girl he had thought he knew better than anyone. This is the Veronica Mars that he had heard about from Logan, from Meg, from everyone else that had ever spoken her name after Lilly's murder.
"Don't bring him into this," she says her voice sharp and steady. "He has nothing do with us, Duncan. You know that."
"I don't know that," he says before he can help himself and Veronica presses her lips together in a thin line as she shoves her hands into her pockets. She rocks back on her heels and says, voice calm, "We were over a long time ago, Duncan. The second you neglected to tell me about Meg-"
"Shut up," Duncan interrupts her, angrily. "Meg has nothing to do with us either, Veronica..."
"Doesn't she?" Veronica asks, her eyes searching his. "I loved you Duncan. I loved you so much and I thought that you would never hurt me. But you lied about Meg. About the baby. And I don't know why I let you brush it aside but I did." She shakes her head, turning it slightly away from him. "You loved Meg. I accepted that; I understood it. She was an amazing girl and she was so not me that I got it."
"I love you Veronica," he says because he can't think of anything else to say.
"No," she says quietly as she turns her head to look at him and her eyes are filled with a wisdom that he has never seen before. "No, you love the girl I used to be but I'm not that girl anymore." She sighs. "Goodbye Duncan."
Then, Veronica turns and walks away.
Duncan stares after her.
She doesn't look back.
--
When she gets to the elevator, she leans against the wall heavily, her knees shaking as she presses a hand to her stomach. Shoving her hand against the button, she waits impatiently as bitterness rises in her throat. She isn't sad about telling Duncan it's officially done between them because there isn't anything to be sad about. It's a bittersweet feeling seeing him again, telling him what they have both been refusing to deny: while first loves are always beautiful at the beginning, they are always painful at the end.
She supposes that it could be worse; she could still be in denial. She could still be locked in a place where she can't find the balance of who she was and who she is now. Wrapping her arms around her waist, she enters the elevator with relief and presses the button for the lobby. As it begins to go down, she closes her eyes and thinks about how this year is going to be different, how everything is going to be different now.
The doors open without fanfare and she steps out, hurrying across the lobby. Her sneaker-clad feet pad silently on the tile and she almost makes it to the entrance when a familiar voice cuts through her thoughts.
"Well, if it isn't the prodigal daughter."
She stops, closing her eyes tightly as she presses her hand against her stomach. Turning, she says calmly, "Logan."
Logan Echolls eyes her from where he stands, wearing swim trunks and a damp t-shirt. He chuckles, tipping his head up towards the ceiling and says, "What could you possibly be doing here, Ronnie? Visiting Duncan? Convincing him that you weren't really gone for almost three months?"
"Not that it's any of your business," she says coolly. "But Duncan and I broke up."
Logan gasps, his hands coming up in a ward off gesture. "Say it ain't so!" he cries and Veronica shifts uncomfortably as a few of the people in the lobby glance over at them curiously. "The dream is over?" His smile is cruel. "What, Veronica? Did you realize Duncan wasn't man enough for you?"
"You know what," she says shaking her head. "I'm not doing this with you." She turns, intent on leaving when Logan asks casually, "So that whole time you were with Weevil, did you ever think of me?"
She feels her back stiffen up, her hands curl up into fists. Logan continues, stepping close enough that she can feel the heat from his body. "I mean," he says lowly into her ear. "Since you seem to like Lilly's leftovers so much, maybe we could give it another try?"
Veronica spins, her hand swinging against his face hard. Logan staggers back, eyes wide as he clutches his face. Panting heavily, Veronica says harshly, "Don't you ever say that to me, again! You know something Logan? You know why I ran off with Weevil?" Her eyes fill with tears as she snaps at him, "Because he didn't make me feel like I was guilty of killing Lilly. For a year, you made my life a living hell when all I did was stand with my father."
She advances on him, hands curling into claws as he backs away, eyes wide with shock as Veronica continues, "For a year, you wrote shit on my car, on my locker, spilled things on my clothing that I couldn't wash out, and suddenly you expected me to just forgive you?"
"You didn't seem to mind when we were in the bathroom," Logan shot back and Veronica says lowly as she narrows her eyes at him, "Because I thought that you were different, Logan. I have never forgiven you for what you put me through. I tried to forget but that didn't work either."
Suddenly, a feeling tingles up her spine and she feels him slid up behind her. His hands curve around her shoulders gently and she sags backwards against him as he whispers, "Veronica, it's okay."
She turns, burying her head into Weevil's shoulder and she trembles as she remembers how peaceful and stress free it has been for the past few weeks, how when she had been gone from Neptune, she hadn't worried about anything.
Logan stares at the pair before him, his eyes unreadable. Weevil's arms are tight around Veronica and she buries herself closer to him as he says icily, trying to hide the hurt, "Well, aren't you two just cozy?"
Weevil's dark eyes snap up from Veronica's face and Logan flinches at the unspoken warning in them. He has seen that look before, when Weevil led the PCH-ers against those he felt had slighted him. Having it directed at him in defense of Veronica is just as effective, if not more.
Weevil drops his gaze back down to the girl in his arms and says something to her that he can't hear. Veronica nods and slips out of Weevil's arms towards the entrance. Weevil begins to follow her, but pauses long enough to say to Logan, his voice dark and menacing, "You make her cry like that again, I will end you Echolls. You got me, Echolls? There won't be pieces left when I'm done with you."
"That a threat, Paco?" Logan sneers back and Weevil grins menacingly, revealing his teeth.
"No," he says as his eyes darken to almost black. "That's a fucking promise."
--
Veronica turns back when she realizes Weevil isn't right behind her and pauses uncertainly as he turns away from Logan. His face warms at the sight of her, softening enough that she feels her uncertainty fall away with ease. Approaching her, he says softly, "You want some coffee or something?"
She shakes her head. "I want to go home."
He nods and takes her hand, leading her to the motorcycle. He had waited as long as he could outside and finally entered the hotel when he had felt uneasiness wash over him. The sight of Veronica chewing Echolls out would have amused him at any other time but not when she was near tears doing it. Weevil silently handed her the helmet they had bought while on their sudden road trip and smiled as she slipped it on with ease...
"Which one do you like better?" he asked her as they stood in the shop. Helmets and other motorcycle paraphernalia was displayed prominently on the shelves and racks. Veronica tipped her head to the side as she eyed the two helmets in Weevil's hands. One was plain black while the other had a red lighting bolt slicing through it.
"I don't know," she admitted laughing as Weevil sighed in mock irritation. "Hey, this is a big moment for me! I need to make a good decision."
"Go with black," he prodded her. "It's a basic color. Plus, it matches mine."
"What the hell?" she said with a shrug and had proceeded to give him the money. After the owner had fitted the helmet for her properly, she wandered outside to wait. Twenty minutes later, Weevil had come out with the helmet but instead of it being plain black it had a small design on the sides.
Veronica's eyes widened slightly as she saw the small emblem of a phoenix. "What's this for?" she asked him and he shrugged, a shy smile flitting across his features as he said, "You remind me of 'em V. You rise up every time you should just stay ashes."
Pulling into the parking lot of Veronica's apartment complex, Weevil slides his helmet off his head as the bike rumbles to a stop beneath them. Veronica swings herself off the back with casual ease and removes her helmet as well, shaking her hair out. Smiling, Weevil reaches out and pulls her towards him, grinning as she obliges without protest.
He studies her face for a few seconds before asking quietly, "You okay?"
Veronica smiles and nods. "I'm fine," she says then amends her answer at the look on his face. "I'll be fine; I promise."
"You can talk to me, you know," he offers as he curls his large hands against her hips. "I'm not going to freak out if you talk about Kane or Echolls."
Her brow arches up and she says dryly, "Somehow, I doubt that."
Weevil grins at her impishly and she grins back before kissing him on the mouth. He hums his approval as he deepens the kiss, angling his mouth against hers, tongue sliding inside her mouth with quiet ease. They kiss for a few minutes, mouths fusing and separating. When air becomes an issue, Weevil presses his forehead against hers and murmurs, "I'll see you at school tomorrow?"
"Yep," she says popping the p as she smiles slightly. "I'll be there."
--
Veronica looks up as the sound of a familiar engine rumbles into the parking lot. A slow smile slides over her features as Weevil pulls up alongside the LeBaron, his helmet gleaming in the morning sun. She watches him remove the helmet and grins as he eyes her appreciatively from where she lounges against the hood of her car.
"A guy could get used to this," he says and she grins as he dismounts the bike, placing his helmet on the seat. She tips her head to the side slightly, eyeing him as she says, "Used to what?"
"Coming to school and having a hot blonde waiting for him," he says and she grins up at him as he braces his hands on either side of her legs. "Good Morning," he adds softly and she replies, "Good Morning. How'd you sleep?"
"Terrible," he says. "Gotten used to having you kick at me."
She gasps in mock outrage. "I do not kick in my sleep."
Weevil shakes his head, saying, "No, I'm afraid you do, V." He grins at the look on her face and kisses her soundly on the mouth, ignoring the shocked glances assorted students in the lot give them at the action. Veronica hums happily against him as she pulls away, tipping her head to the side as she asks seriously, "Are you sure your boys are going to be okay with this?"
"Doesn't matter," he says firmly. "Even if they aren't, I'm not letting you go, V. We're for life, regardless of what happens."
She smiles then, eyes warming as she says softly, "Okay." He gathers his bag and things from his bike and she takes his hand as they begin to walk towards the entrance of the school. Weevil thinks it's funny how people part for them; Veronica thinks it's going to be a long day.
--
It occurs to Weevil that the boys might not be as enthusiastic about his and Veronica's change of status as he is. Thumper seems to have a permanent scowl on his features everytime Weevil sees him and Hector can't even look him in the eye in autoshop. It doesn't bother Weevil if his boys don't like Veronica; at least, not to the degree it would have weeks ago. He's learned that loyalty can be bought with the right amount of money; especially if you tend to think with your wallet like the majority of the PCH-ers.
He sits on the bench as he wipes at his brow; the engine he has begun work on this year is going to take a lot of time and muscle. Weevil figures he can ask the teacher for extra credit if he finishes before the due date.
"So," Thumper says as he sits beside him. "You hittin' up the Mars girl now?"
"Shut your ass up," Weevil growls as he removes his overalls and folds them up. "Don't talk about Veronica like that."
"Oh, she's Veronica now?" Thumper says disbelief tinging his voice and Weevil sighs as he looks at him. "Yeah," he says and adds as Thumper opens his mouth, "I don't want to hear it, man. It's not happening, me and Veronica are together. Deal with it."
"Weevil, she's white!" Thumper snaps. "And she hooked up with Kane and Echolls. She's probably in on Felix's murder-"
Weevil hauls Thumper to his feet, slamming him hard against the nearest wall. The assorted boys in the shop pause as Weevil looks Thumper in the eye and says, voice low, "I hear any of this shit again, I will end you Thumps. I mean it; you keep away from Veronica. You keep your mouth shut and we'll be fine."
"Pussy whipped already?"
Weevil sneers. "You're just mad 'cause no girl in this town will give you the time of day."
"I'd rather be not getting any than hitting her up for it," Thumper snaps back and Weevil snorts as he lets Thumper go, punching him hard in the stomach. The smaller boy doubles over in pain and Weevil says loudly, looking around at the other PCH-ers in the class, "Veronica Mars is off-limits. Anyone messes with her, I will end their life."
Then, he walks out of the room.
Thumper coughs as Hector says mildly, "Told you it was a bad idea."
"Shut up."
--
It's funny how everything is the same, Veronica realizes as she walks towards her car at the end of the day. Despite her relationship change, she is still given the wide berth by the same students and still left notes in her locker that have only become raunchier. She supposes that's because most students pretend that things don't happen; it's easier to forget about the dark underbelly of Neptune when you aren't regularly inside of it.
She tosses her bag into the car and turns, smiling as Weevil jogs up to her. His eyes warm as he sees her, white teeth flashing against tan skin. He tips his head forward until they are touching foreheads and murmurs, "How was your day?"
"Pretty damn good," she replies. "But it's definitely the best part of my day now."
He grins and kisses her on the mouth, fingers sliding into her back pocket. She hums her approval and laughs against his lips as his mustache tickles her nose. Pulling away, she beams at him and says, "I'm this close to asking you to shave that."
"Maybe I will," he leers playfully, wagging his eyebrows. "With the right incentive."
She grins and kisses him again.
Later on, she sits in the office, perusing information online about a case. She doesn't glance up as the door opens, merely says, "I will be with you in a moment..." as she holds up one finger absently.
"Now is that any way to welcome me home?" a familiar voice says and her head snaps up to see Wallace Fennel grinning widely at her. She forgets how to breathe for a brief moment and says, "Wallace?"
"Hey, hey, hey," he says cheerily. "Honey, I'm home!"
Somehow she isn't as happy as she had thought she would be.
--
Weevil pulls up to Veronica's apartment building, his bike rumbling beneath him. He turns off the ignition and removes his helmet as he rubs his hand over his eyes tiredly. He'd gotten a phone call from the Sheriff asking if he could check up on Veronica before he went home since he had to skip town. Weevil had been surprised at the request since Keith Mars had been against Veronica associating with him in the first place.
Apparently, his daughter had convinced him otherwise; Weevil isn't entirely certain if he wants to know what exactly Veronica said to convince Keith he was good enough. He suspected that his reputation was shot to hell in Keith Mar's eyes.
Hauling himself off the bike, he trudges to the front door of the Mars' residence and knocks, calling, "V? It's me."
The door flies open and Wallace Fennel stares at him with an unhappy expression on his features. Weevil's eyebrows arch up at the sight of the other youth and he says, "Came back home, huh?"
Wallace's jaw tightens as he says darkly, "Veronica's in her room."
"Thanks," Weevil replies as he begins to walk into the apartment but Wallace doesn't budge from his place in the doorway. Weevil sighs deeply and says, "You know, any other day Fennel, I'd respect your position as V's BFF."
"I'll have her come out to see you," Wallace says and Weevil snorts as Backup yawns from where he sits on the carpet. The pitbull stretches as he wakes and at the sight of Weevil, barks enthusiastically as he bounds over to greet the biker. Weevil grins as he crouches down to rub the dog's ears, saying, "S'up boy? How you been, huh?"
Veronica steps out of her bedroom and smiles at the sight of Backup greeting Weevil. Seeing the disgruntled look on Wallace's features, she says quietly, "Hey Eli."
Weevil glances up and grins at her. "Hey mama," he greets. "Your dad asked me to drop by before I went home. Got a call for a jumper down in San D."
"Thanks," she says as she crosses the room to stand before him. "You bring dinner?"
"Thought you'd cook."
"Uh," Veronica blinks up at him innocently. "Que?"
Wallace narrows his eyes and says, "All right, what the hell is going on here?"
Veronica sighs and looks up Weevil, blue eyes pleading. He nods at the unspoken question and grabs Backup's leash from where it hangs on the key hooks by the door. "C'mon," he says to the pitbull as he grabs his jacket. "Let's take you for a walk, huh pup?"
As the door closes behind them, Veronica turns to Wallace and says quietly, "You left Wallace. You didn't say anything, you didn't let me or your mom know if you were okay. You left."
"Like you care why I did leave," Wallace snaps angrily and Veronica shakes her head. "I do care," she retorts angrily. "God, Wallace, don't you see? You are my best friend. I haven't had one since Lilly died. I haven't had a friend since she died and you...you left."
Confusion colors Wallace's features as Veronica continues, wrapping her arms around herself and says, "I know I'm not the best friend a person could ask for. I know I tend to go off on my own and act like the world revolves around me but you know something? I wanted to listen to your problems but you were gone. That night you left, I thought I was protecting you but instead I screwed up." She looks down at the ground. "I do that; I'm not perfect Wallace."
"I asked you to let that whole situation with Jackie go," he says quietly and Veronica laughs turning her head away briefly. She looks back at him and says incredulously, "Did you really think I'd risk our friendship over Jackie? If you believe that Wallace, then you really don't know me."
"You're dating Weevil," he says accusingly. "The Veronica I know wouldn't date him."
"Maybe you don't know me," she shoots back. "Or maybe you never did Wallace. But Eli makes me happy and that's all the matters to me. That's all that should matter." She shoves her hands into her pockets. "I won't chose between the both of you. I can't."
He says nothing and she can't force anymore words out; it's so hard being this honest with someone, being this naked in front of Wallace. If there is anything she has been certain of, it's that Veronica doesn't do honest well. Hasn't for a long while but maybe, just maybe he can understand...
--
Weevil glances up as he walks back to the apartment, Backup trailing before him tiredly. He chuckles as the pitbull yawns loudly as he unlocks the door, saying, "Tired huh, bud?"
The dog merely blinks at him blearily as he unhooks the leash and trods over to his pillow. Flopping onto it, he yawns again and drifts off as Weevil calls out, "V?"
She pokes her head out from around the doorframe of her room and smiles at the sight of him. He frowns as he sees that her eyes are rimmed red and asks, "What's wrong?"
She shrugs and finally says, "Wallace said he needs some time." She looks up at him. "Everyone says that, you know. Mac said it, Wallace said it. I'm so glad that your grandma didn't say it or else I'd be sure this was hell."
He chuckles and kisses her gently, fingers caressing her skin. She responds desperately and he knows even as he gently leads her to her bed that she is wanting reassurance that this is real; whatever it is that they have isn't going to vanish within a few days and that he's here for the long haul...
He presses a kiss to her belly, feels her tremble and gathers her naked body into his arms. She sniffles and then begins to cry, her body trembling with each sob and he murmurs to her the promises that he's certain he will try to keep if not fulfill. There isn't much else he can offer Veronica but his heart and he knows that she knows this...
But it's still painful to watch her cry, to see her heart shatter because of someone else.
He knows the road won't be easy but if there's one thing he knows it's that he's never given up the fight for something he wants. And he wants Veronica in his life for as long as he can keep her...
Weevil gently turns her over, fingers sliding slowly over her skin, her sobs becoming gasps of pleasure. As he gently brings her to the brink, her eyes flutter open and she looks at him with an expression he can't quite decipher. But then she breathes his name as she comes, softly like the flutter of a butterfly's wings, "Eli..."
He has the feeling that everything's going to be all right someday; maybe not tomorrow but eventually. And he drifts off to sleep with her in his arms and smiles as she kisses his chin, murmuring something sleepily. He shifts, burrowing deeper into her blankets and sleepily thinks that the world doesn't seem so unfair anymore.
FIN