Painfully Human.
Summary: Fifteen years ago, Sheriff Keith Mars's wife took off with their one-year-old-daughter. When he suddenly gets a phone call from the San Diego Department of Social Services regarding his daughter Veronica, he finds out that Veronica Mars isn't exactly the sweet and innocent girl he'd expected, and that she will turn life in Neptune around… AU.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yay, more feedback. They make my day, you guys! It's great to hear that you're enjoying it.
C.
DISCLAIMER: Do not own Veronica Mars.
Revised on Nov 23rd. Still not up to par.
I'm so sorry for having abandoned you for so long. C
Previously:
She collapsed on to the couch and smiled up at the man. "What?"
CHAPTER THREE
Veronica stared up at the ceiling and silently damned the couch to hell.
It wasn't like Keith – herfatherfatherfather – hadn't suggested she'd sleep in his bed, but she had rejected the offer with a shake of her head. She didn't need his stupid bed. The couch would do just fine.
Right.
She turned to her other side and had a clear view on the dark kitchen, the two dirty plates in the sink glimmering in the small stripe of moonlight, that fell through the window into the apartment. She let out a sigh; it was the only sound to disturb the silence. She raised her wrist and looked at the old watch she always wore.
Another sigh. It was a little past two.
Memories of social workers, offices, her mother, seeing Keith for the first time, they all resurfaced, flooding her tired brain. Really, she didn't want to think about anything at all, let alone all the trouble Mom's runaway had caused. She just wanted to sleep, to get away from the mess for a second, and everything would be alright when she woke up, because that's the way fairytales go.
Who was she kidding?
Life in San Diego hadn't really been interesting; she went to school, she did her homework, and most of her free time was spent trying to keep Mom away from the liquor cabinet. Lianne hadn't dated, ever, but apparently she'd found her ideal man in José Cuervo.
Veronica had had friends, but not the kind of friends she trusted with her deepest, darkest secrets. They all were nice to hang out with, fun to talk to, and above all, a nice laugh, but they weren't the kind of people that would come running for their friend's alcoholic mom.
Veronica let out another deep sigh and rolled on her back, closed her eyes in another attempt to catch some sleep. It didn't work.
She rubbed her hands over her face, pressed them against her closed, tired eyes, combed her short hair with her fingers. How was it that she always got into this kind of mess? Was everything just destined to suck? God.
Eyes open, closed, open, closed.
Sadly enough, closing her eyes meant images of Mom – of Lianne – popping up in her head, and a thousand unanswered questions – why did you run, why didn't you take me, why, why, why, so many why's…
Mom had disappeared before, but she never stayed away longer than a week. Usually, after a day or four, Veronica would get a call from an angry bartender asking whether she was going to come to pick up her mother or not. She hadn't really worried when her mom had fled for the umpteenth time, leaving nothing but a note on the table.
That was, until one week passed, and then another one, and Veronica'd finally gathered the courage to call a social worker – a move she now regretted. Everything, even sitting in an empty house, was better than lying here, trying to get some sleep while her mind wandered off to Keith Mars, her father, who was snoring loudly in his bedroom.
Great, just absolutely great.
She placed one of the cushions over her head in an attempt to push the images away.
A soft, golden light fell through the blinds that hung at the windows, shone in her face. She opened her eyes slowly, blinked, went to sit upright. Her eyes darted off through the apartment, that was currently bathing in yellowish hues.
At that same moment, she heard a door slam shut and jumped up in surprise when the smiling face of Keith Mars greeted her from across the room, the bald spot on his head glimmering in the morning light.
"Good morning," he greeted her. "Slept well?"
She bit back an angry retort, instead said, "As well as can be expected, I guess."
Was she mistaken, or did Keith's face show some kind of relief? What, was he relieved that she hadn't immediately taken out the big guns when she was only right awake? Jesus.
A quick glance at her watch told her it was twenty past seven in the morning – too early, even for her, to have brilliant comebacks to shoot back.
Veronica went with her hand through her hair – she was glad she'd showered yesterday evening, even if it had been on Keith's request – and walked over to the kitchen counter that also served as a table. She took place in one of the high seats and grabbed an apple out of the fruit basket.
"You don't want something more breakfast-ey than that?" Keith asked her as he stood at the sink, rummaging through the cabinets on the wall. "Cornflakes or something?"
"I'm fine," she replied, taking a bite of the apple. She looked out of the window on her right.
It was a beautiful day. Typical.
A few minutes passed in silence, Veronica munching on her apple, Keith searching for whatever he needed.
He was the one to break the silence.
"So, I was thinking," he began, hesitation lacing his words, "seeing as it's already October, maybe we could go and enter you in a school, huh?"
Yeah, school. That's gotta be on the top of the list of "How to annoy a sixteen-year-old girl that's just moved in with the father she's never seen before". Definitely.
When he saw the disgusted expression on her face, he hastily continued. "I know, we haven't really bonded yet, but we can do some father-daughter bonding anytime. I think it's important that you don't miss too much of school."
The hesitation was switched with a certain tone of finality.
She ripped her gaze away from the apple she'd been staring at and raised an eyebrow at him. "What, are you getting tired of me already?"
He closed the cabinet and turned round to face her. "Like I said, I don't want you to miss too much of school."
"And that's where we differ – again," Veronica answered coldly, and she took another bite.
"Veronica, don't speak to me like that. I'm the father here." Keith responded, his tone clearly indicating he wasn't willing to have this conversation again.
"Oh, so all of a sudden you're my father again? Yeah, of course. It doesn't matter that I don't know you at all, or that we've never met before, no, because you're my father, right?" Veronica asked him loudly, her voice trembling with barely withhold anger. He was playing the father card again. How original.
When there came no reply, she clenched her jaw in frustration. It was easier to snap at him than to talk to him normally; anger had always been her best defence mechanism, and it had always worked fine for her. At her old school, nobody really took notice of her; and when they did, she always had a comeback ready. Years of having an alcohol-addicted mother kinda made you that way.
But Keith Mars didn't seem to care about that. Damn.
"I'm taking the day off at work today. I'll start working on your room in the afternoon," Keith suddenly said.
Her eyes fixed on the table, she ignored him. "Whatever," she muttered a few seconds later.
"Veronica?" his voice came.
She didn't answer.
"Veronica?" he asked again.
She looked up, greyish blue eyes meeting brown. She could tell he was getting frustrated. It lingered in his eyes, on his features, the way his jaw clenched at her lack of response.
"I will enter you in a school today. It would be nice if you'd come with."
Veronica rolled her eyes. "Fine. Do what you have to do, pops."
He sighed.
Desperate dad? For the first time, she was able to fill in "check" as an answer.
It was twelve fifteen, and they were both standing in front of a large, modern building with a big banner that read "Pirates!" above the double entrance doors. The school, that went by the incredibly original name of "Neptune High" was surrounded by a huge parking lot filled with expensive cars, a few lush grass fields and a large lunch area stacked with benches and tables.
Veronica had to admit she'd been a little impressed by the amount of BMW's shining in their very own privileged parking spot, and she couldn't help but feel like there would be a crapload of rich kids around.
"You alright? You look pale," Keith asked as he looked at the glass doors.
She could see people walking through the hallways. She swallowed. "Do I have to be ready?"
He shrugged in response. "This is the best school in Neptune."
Her eyes focused on the cloudless blue sky, just to have something to look at. "I could've done this on my own, you know."
Keith sighed in frustration. "Veronica, I'm-"
"My father?" she cut him off, snickering as she stepped through the double doors. "Wow. Weirdest sense of déja-vu here."
She walked into the hallway and immediately felt eyes on her, checking her out. There weren't a lot of people around right now, but she was sure she'd heard someone whisper "Is she new?" when she walked towards the principle's office, Keith leading her.
The waiting room in front of the office was just the same as the rest of Neptune High – or at least, what she'd seen already. Clean, modern, with in the middle a large reception desk. An example of a school with a lot of snobby rich kids that went shopping with their daddy's credit card.
The woman standing behind the desk smiled at her.
She quirked an eyebrow.
Keith shot her a dark look, and Veronica smiled sweetly at him.
"You could try to be a bit nicer to people," he told her sternly.
She clasped her hands together like in a prayer, looked up at the ceiling and declared loudly, "Lord, please help me be a nice girl – but not yet."
The parrot in the cage behind the desk made a sound that resembled a laugh.
A/N: Sooo, the story's finally taking off! It's moving a bit slow, but everything will change once our precious V enters Neptune High, of course! Imagine the 09'ers she can piss off, the snappy retorts she'll be able to shoot, and how wise-ass she'll go on Mr Woo. Yay for Neptune High!