Veronica woke to find herself in her own bed. The blood on the side of her head neatly cleaned up and bandaged. Her eyes blinked passed the bright sunlight filtering into her bedroom windows, as she sat up for a moment. A sharp pain coursing through her body caused her instantly to flop back down. Keith Mars poked his head in her room. "I thought you were awake." He said as he set a tray of soup and saltine crackers on her night stand. Moving about the room and closing the shades he checked her bandage.
"You took quite a knock on your head, it was a good thing that Navarro Kid found you god knows what could have happened. What were you doing at the beach so late any way?" Veronica's eyes shifted up to him. Her head hurting, she couldn't come up with a viable lie right then and there. If she told him she had been knocked on her head for interrupting a drug deal he would pull her form the case she was working. "I just needed time to think, and I tripped" She stated quickly and began to eat the soup before her father could question her more. Keith took the statement with some skepticism as he stood and left his daughters room, closing her door reluctantly.
Setting the bowl on her night stand she settled back into her pillows and covers to sleep a bit longer hoping the headache would wane and she could start working on the case Eli had asked her to look into. She sighed softly as his name ran through her head while she drifted off to sleep.
It was dark when she woke again her head still reeling from the lump on the side. She stepped carefully into her shower, allowing the hot water soothe her aching muscles. Leaning on the wall for some time she let the water run over her as she pondered the man with the clover tattoo. It then dawned on her, He was a Fitzpatrick.
Her mind raced through the possible connections they could have to Michael James. She washed quickly and stepped from the tub. Drying her hair and dressing quickly she made her way to her car. Barley having her keys in the door she looked up as a tanned hand snatched them out and held them up in front of her. "You are in no condition to drive" Eli stated. Her bright blue eyes traveled up to meet his brown ones.
Veronica furrowed her brow as she stared him down. "Since when do you care what happens to me?" She spat coldly. Eli's poker face wavered for a moment and softened his eyes were like an open book as he stared back at him. "Since you got that head injury, and unless you want your dad to know the real reason…" He trailed off staring back at her sternly.
Veronica relented with a sigh. "Fine you can drive but we are taking my car" she stated as she climbed into the passenger seat. She pulled her seat belt over her lap and chest and clicked it in looking over at him as he started the car. "So Where to Chica?" Eli asked her with a half of smirk drawing up his cheek. "The River Styx" Veronica stated. "And I am not your 'Chica'."
Eli jerked his head with the mention of the bar. "What do you want with the Fitzpatrick's?" He said narrowing his eyes. He had an idea as to what she was getting at. "Just checking up on a case for my dad" She said looking back at him. "Tell me about the case and I will handle it…I don't want you in there" Eli nearly growled out. "I am not taking you there" he sad as he looked over at her. "You can find another way to crack this case." Eli had already been working out in his head how he was going to handle the Fitzpatrick boys for what they did to her. In the mean time he would just have to keep her from that bar.
Veronica sighed in defeat as she unlocked her seat belt. She took her car keys from the ignition and opened the passenger's side door. Stepping out of the car she grasped the side of the vehicle as a bout of wooziness hit her. Drawing in a few deep breaths she moved to start back into the apartment. Eli quickly stepped out of her car and moved to her side wrapping an arm around her waist, he helped her inside. "Girlie you are in no condition to deal with those micks any way."
He helped her into the living room passing her growling dog. "Quiet Back up" Veronica said weakly as she plopped down on the sofa. "You ok?" Eli asked as he watched her curl up against the pillows. "Yea just still woozy I guess" She said as she laid her head down. He moved to the kitchen and grabbed a glass from the sink strainer. Filling it with water he brought it to her. "Thanks" she said as she accepted the glass and sipped at the cool liquid.
"I am going to head out…You sure you're going to be ok?" Eli asked again staring at her intently. She nodded. "I will be fine I promise" She stated as she set the glass on the end table beside the sofa. Eli nodded and headed toward the door stopping to scratch Back-up's ears as he lay on the kitchen floor.
As the door clicked closed, she wondered why he was being so nice to her. It was unlike him to be so caring. She laid her head back and closed her eyes once more the darkness drawing her in to a deep sleep. She smiled softly as his image flitted across her mind.
Eli headed home. He flopped on his bed laying his arms above his head. He sighed softly as he stared up at the ceiling. When he closed his eyes her image was burned on the back of his eyelids. He sighed wondering how Veronica Mars had gotten to him. He drifted off to sleep with a smile on his face.