A/N: The chapter picks up where the last one ended. With Logan being rushed to hospital by Wallace and Duncan. Veronica and Mac and Dick were going to a bar.
I have not forgotten about this story what I do have now is free time! I am sad to say however that in a few chapters I suspect this story will be over. I have written more than this chapter but had to post this part as a chapter otherwise chapter 12 would have been way to long. I know that this isn't my best chapter... but i'd really appreciate reviews!
Thank you to those who have reviewed!
Enjoy!
Chapter 12: Bars, Hospitals, Motels.
Logan was at the hospital twenty minutes later after they had left the house. Duncan had sped and had run all red lights. He pulled out all the stops to get Logan to the hospital as soon as possible. When Logan came crashing through the hospital doors three doctors rushed over and began to work on him- they eventually wheeled him away for surgery. What surgery? How he was? What had happened to him exactly? Wallace and Duncan had no idea. They were being questioned on what had happened to Logan- they said it was an accident and that's all they knew. When they preceded to ask how Logan was and what was happening. The doctor got a sad look in his eyes; he faced down and merely shook his head.
'He's in surgery. We'll only know how he is going to be, if he pulls through the surgery.' The doctor had told Wallace and Duncan.
'But do you think he will pull through? That he'll be ok?' Duncan asked the doctor frantically. Again the doctor looked to the floor.
'Just trust in your friend, believe he will be able to pull himself through.'
'That sounds like something you'd tell people when the person they are waiting for to get better… has a great chance of not recovering.' Wallace was blunt.
'Listen boys,' the doctor sighed, 'I really didn't want to have to tell you this. But it seems that I can't avoid it. Logan is not in good shape. He has lost a lot of blood, and the bullets are in very critical position within the body, not to mention the slightest movement of one of the bullets could seriously damage your friend. Deadly damage. All I can offer, all I can say is that any one who cares for this young man should be prepared for the worst and should be here in close range in case-' he stopped himself.
'Incase what?' Duncan demanded.
'Incase the time comes when you have to say goodbye. Now boys, you have to keep the faith. You have too. And I need to know how I can get a hold of his family?' Duncan gave a disbelieving laugh.
'He has no family. We're it.'
'He must have some.'
'Yeah, a no good sister who is in Europe and doesn't like to acknowledge Logan's existence.'
'Well,' the doctor was speechless, 'we'll deal with the admin later. I should get back to the surgery see how it is going. I'll keep you two informed.' With that the doctor got up and left. Wallace and Duncan looked at each other.
'We should call Veronica.' Duncan said.
'Yeah, you're probably right. I can't believe this is happening.'
'What is happening?' Duncan asked while resting his head in his hand.
'Well, a murder case, a romance and a tragedy.' Wallace stood up. 'I'm going to go call Veronica.' He walked away and headed for the hospitals doors. Once outside he dialed her number. It rang three times before she answered.
'Veronica?'
'How is he?' Wallace sighed.
'Not good. How are you?'
'Sugar coated version or truth?'
'Truth.'
'I'm scared.' That was all Veronica needed to say and he knew exactly how she was feeling and how it affected her.
'Where are you, Veronica?'
'At a bar somewhere.'
'You are at a bar? What the hell?'
'Dick wanted a bar. I wanted to make sure that if anyone tried to track me down I was no where near Logan. A bar was the perfect place it constantly has people and most of these people are scary, and lucky for me Dick seems to be making friends with all of them.'
'Where's Mac?'
'Right here next to me.' Wallace sighed again.
'Veronica, you need to get here-'
'I can't. If I come and they track me down somehow, I'll be putting Logan in more danger. It's not going to happen, Wallace.'
'Girl it needs to happen. Logan needs you. And girl as much as you don't want to hear this, you need Logan right now.'
'Wallace I don't know what that means.' Wallace grunted.
'Let me break it down for you. It means the person you are in love with, needs you and you need him you need each other to get through this. Any one can see that. And I ain't talking about Duncan.'
'Wallace, you don't-'
'Know what I'm saying? You're wrong see I've noticed things-'
'Well aren't you the observant one.'
'Damn straight. Listen, I see what I see. When his around you, you seem more confident and you just click and I see the looks you give him. I see him as well- he goes out of his way for you and not to mention how when you are together you are just automatic you know what the others needs. Veronica I know you, I know when you are in love.'
'Wallace, you can't do this now.'
'Girl, you don't get it. He might not pull through this.' Wallace could hear Veronica taking a breath.
'You need to be here. The doctor said anyone who cares for him should be close and you fall into that category.'
'Which hospital are you at?' Wallace heard Veronica's voice breaking. The conversation continued for a further five heated minutes. He closed the phone and headed back inside. He walked the corridor and stopped at a vending machine getting something to drink and eat for him and Duncan. Wallace walked over to Duncan a few moments later and handed him the packet of chips and drink he had gotten him.
'Is she coming?' Duncan asked softly.
'I think so.'
'You think so?'
'Listen, she's not in the best state right now, man this is messed up.' Duncan gave a soft grunt in agreement.
Veronica stood up and walked over to Dick. She tapped him on the shoulder.
'We have to go to Logan.' She said to him. Dicks head shot up and he looked over at her.
'Ok.'
'Well, that was easier that I thought it was going to be.'
'Yeah, well Veronica I try and follow by your example.' She let that comment go and just shot Dick a deadly look. She grabbed his arm and held on a bit tighter than she meant to because she could feel her nails digging into his skin. She titled her head in the direction of the door.
'Be at the car in five minutes.' She let him go and walked straight for the door. She ran a hand through her hair and pulled her jacket a bit tighter. When she eventually reached the car instead of getting inside it, she suddenly found herself dropping to the floor and then leaning her head against the door. She covered each of her eyes with a palm of her hand.
Relax Veronica, come on keep breathing this is no time to curl into a ball and hide.
Veronica took two steadying breaths and wiped her palms on the front of her pants she stood up and opened the car getting in. She put her seatbelt on and switched the car on. Then she hooted. Twenty seconds later Mac and Dick were both walking out of the bar and towards her. She noticed Mac's cheeks were pink and from that she knew it was a cold night. She didn't feel the cold though. She was numb. They both got into the car and with them the smell of booze came. She opened the window and then placed her hands back on the steering wheel, she looked down at her hands they were shaking.
'It's going to be a long drive.' She said. They both looked at her.
'Where are we going?' She crinkled her forehead at Mac.
'To the hospital where Logan is currently fighting for his life.'
'Ok, I was just checking. Heard anything else about how Logan is doing?' She shook her head and started to pull out of the bars parking lot. Veronica wasn't exactly sure where they were or how they were going to get to where they needed to be.
Logan had been taken to a hospital a bit further away from the house where they were held captive. She also knew that meant they were further out of Neptune. She headed back in the direction from where they came. None of them really spoke. They were half way to the hospital when Veronica pulled over to the side of the road.
'What's wrong?' Mac asked her. Veronica looked down at her hands they were shaking really badly now and she was unable to keep driving.
'Someone else needs to drive.' She finally let go of the steering wheel.
'I will.' Mac instantly offered.
'Ah, no you won't Sweet pie. Girls can't drive.'
'Dick, Veronica is a girl and has been driving.' Mac shot back at him bitterly.
'I mean that girls don't drive well, you either drive to slowly or you're so bad at driving that you are bound to have an accident.' Veronica laughed.
'You are so narrow minded.' Veronica said to him.
'The narrower the mind the bigger th-'
'Oh! Ok stop right there we do not need to hear the end of that sentence.' Mac cut across Dick much to Veronica's gratitude.
'Ok, Dick you can drive.' Veronica got out of the car and swapped places with Dick. Dick got into the drivers seat he shook his hands. He started the car and Veronica decided to lay back on the backseat.
'Wait!' Mac suddenly spoke up.
'What now?' Dick asked.
'How much did you have to drink?' She asked Dick. Veronica suddenly shot up from the seats she hadn't thought of that. Dick laughed.
'Two beers that's it, I switched to water like an hour before we left.'
'Please, Dick you only had two beers and then switched to water?'
'Yeah.' He said to Mac he was still driving.
'Oh no. Stop the car.' Veronica leaned back on the backseat- she closed her eyes and tried unsuccessfully to tune out Mac and Dick's voices.
'Dick, do I need to speak in idiot for you to understand me?'
'You can't speak idiot! Idiot isn't a language.'
'And yet somehow Dick, you still manage to speak in idiot all the time.'
'Listen, if I wanted to know what you thought of me I would have asked. But right now all I want from you is to shut up and try find a decent radio channel.' Dick shot back at Mac.
'So help me, Dick if you crash this car you'll be introduced to a whole new level of pain.' Dick gave Mac a side wards glance.
'That's kind of kinky. Pain can be fun.' He remarked.
'Shut up and drive.' Mac said while laughing a bit.
Veronica couldn't wrap her mind around anything. She didn't understand how Mac and Dick were so normal in these circumstances. She was petrified but then again she was the only one who knew everything who had seen everything. She knew they were all worried about Logan but she couldn't help shake the thought that she was more worried than she should be. She had wanted to go with Logan to the hospital from the star and she had this nagging thought that she should have.
You can't change what you've already done… now stop kicking yourself for it.
Half an hour later they were in the hospitals parking lot. Veronica noticed how Dick and Mac were both very quiet. She got out the car and took out her phone she called Wallace and found out where he and Duncan were exactly.
Veronica entered the hospital doors but her mind wasn't with her body. She didn't notice the distinctive hospital smell, she didn't notice the rush of people around her she didn't notice the colours. Everything was just one big wave, one colour, one force. Her mind was running away from her. She wasn't over analyzing the situation she wasn't even plainly analyzing the situation she was just blank, she couldn't wrap her mind around anything and if she was truly honest with herself she knew she didn't want to wrap her mind around it. When they reached Wallace and Duncan, she merely stood there. Duncan walked over to her immediately and pulled her into a hug she hugged him back and then let go. She turned to Wallace and he immediately engulfed her in a hug. He muttered a soft, 'V, you're ok.' She hugged Wallace for a moment longer than she did Duncan. She knew Wallace could read her like a book. If anyone knew how she was feeling he did- sometimes he knew what she was feeling before she did. He took her hand and sat her down. She looked at him willing herself not cry, like she desperately wanted to do. She turned to Duncan and gave him a half tired attempt at a smile. She then watched Dick and Mac position themselves so that they were half facing her and half facing Wallace and Duncan.
'How is he?' Dick asked.
'We haven't heard anything more. So we don't really know. Do any of you need a doctor?' Duncan voice had a tone of harshness to it.
'I'm as fit as a fig.'
'Don't you mean fiddle, Dick?' Mac asked him trying not to smile.
'I know its fiddle but I prefer fig. I like figs. Tasty. Even better if you're eating it off a girl.'
'Shut up, Dick. This isn't the time for those types of comments don't you get the severity of the situation?' Veronica had snapped. Dick's comment had shaken her out of her blank-mind state.
'Not really. Logan will pull through this and then we are going to go get those bastards that did this to him.'
'Oh, so it's that simple? You're that sure of everything?'
'Yeah.' Dick replied folding his arms and leaning back in his chair.
'I hate to sound like a broken record but what the hell happened? What is going on?' Duncan asked he wasn't looking at anyone his eyes were fixed on the floor.
'This isn't the place to discuss what happened.' Veronica commented.
'Why not? It's the safest place we have so far, we're completely surrounded by
strangers-'
'Just drop it, man. Not here not now. Later.' Wallace softly told Duncan.
The conversation ended with that sentence, Duncan's mouth closed with his reply and they all faced the doctor who had just walked up to them.
'Have you managed to contact any family members?' That was the sentence that was the catalyst for a completely new conversation.
An hour later they had all left the hospital, each one had a mind filled with thoughts and a mind on the edge of breaking. They had decided to go spend the night at a motel they saw on the way to the hospital.
It was one of those cheesy motels that you see in the movies. It had the flashing fluorescent sign- except it wasn't orange. It was green and the sign read: "The Barnyard." The check in table was an olive green colour and behind the check in table was a man with Brown hair that covered his eyes wearing a black jacket and smoking a cigarette.
'Are you here to check in?' He asked and blew smoke their way.
'Evidently.' Was Dick's reply. The guy placed the cigarette in his mouth and disappeared under the table. He came up with forms and threw them across the table.
'Fill those in…' His muffled reply came. The forms were filled out within five minutes. The man gave them two rooms key. He also gave Mac a few looks you could clearly see he considered flirty.
The found the rooms, the boys went into one room and the girls another. The walls in the room were green, the bed cover was green, and the table in the room was green. Everything else was either red or black. The two rooms had a door that joined them. The boys came over through the door and they all sat there together. Silent. Duncan went out and came back with pizza- which they ate hurriedly. When someone spoke it was about something idle. All they did was sit there and watch TV. They all went to bed in the early hours of the morning and slept late into the next day.
Veronica was sitting in bed, when she had the urge to just leave. To just get up and walk away. She jumped out of the bed. Ignored the questioning looks she was getting and just walked out the room. She let the door slam behind her and felt the wind tingle her skin. She turned to her right and just started to walk. She was down the stairs and in the car park when her legs just gave way. She sat there in between two cars. She wasn't crying, she couldn't, she was all out of tears and she wasn't panicking, she was calculating. She was going over the case and for awhile she just sat there protected by the cars.
'It's nice isn't it?' Veronica opened her eyes and looked up at Wallace.
'What is?'
'The day.' She nodded her response.
'V,-'
'I'm fine.'
'No you aren't.'
'I am.'
'This isn't your fault. What happened to Logan-'
'Is my fault.'
'Girl, you were being you, helping people.'
'No, I was being nosy and decided to chase this case and I let Logan chase this case with me and that was stupid- look where it got us? Look where it got him.'
'Veronica, this case would have found you even if you hadn't gone after it.'
Veronica jumped up from the ground.
'Say that again.' Wallace looked stunned but he re-said it.
'Veronica, this case would have found you even if you hadn't gone after it.'
She started to pace.
'Veronica?' Wallace asked her cautiously.
'I think I just solved this case.'
'What?'
'I'll explain it all in due time.'
She walked over to Wallace and grabbed his arm. Together they started walking back to the room.
'Let's see how everyone is holding up.' Veronica said to Wallace. He looked over at her and they started to climb the stairs that led up to the rooms.
'You mean holding up in relation to Logan?' She just looked back at him and they walked the rest of the way in silence.
A/N : Please review! It only takes a few minutes! :)
