Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids!

Out of Control, Part 2

Vaughn hurried up the steps to Veronica's room. It was Sunday and it was the normal family get together. He hadn't seen her when he came in, but Dominic had told him that she was still upstairs in her room. He knocked on her door, but didn't hear a reply. "Ver?" he asked as he quietly pushed the door open. His eyes fell on her bed, where she was lying with earphones on. He walked over to her and thumped the mattress with his hand to get her attention.

Veronica looked up at Vaughn and took off her headphones. She switched off her mini CD player and smiled slightly at him. "And what brings you up here Winner?"

"I have something to return to you. You left them in my car the other night by accident," he replied as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

"What was it?" she asked curiously as she sat up and curled her legs to the side of her. Her brow arched in question.

He cleared his throat a little and stuck his hand into the pockets of his khaki cargo shorts and brought out the lacy confection that had the audacity to be called panties. He didn't say anything, but held them out to her on his fingertips. He felt a slight blush working its way up his neck. "Dammit, twenty years old and I still can't control this blushing of mine."

Veronica eyed the panties before returning them to Vaughn's face. She could see the tell tale flush working its way up towards his white blond hair. She gave him an amused smile and plucked them from his fingers. "Thank you for returning them," she said as she spun them around her fingers before dropping them down on her bed. Her eyes went back to his. "Still can't control that can you?"

"No."

"Tsk, tsk, Vaughn. You're a big boy now and you can't get rid of that blushing trait of yours."

"Don't remind me."

A smirk crossed her lips as she continued to observe him as his blush gradually faded from his lightly tanned skin. "If you really want something to blush about, I could…" she said as she leaned forwards until her nose was touching his, "always do this," she breathed as she blew softly against his mouth.

A blush immediately spread across his face faster then before. He didn't move however as he still felt her breath against his lips. He blinked his eyes once. "What are you doing?" he asked faintly.

"Seeing if I can make you really blush."

"It's working."

"So I can see. But I want to see if I can really get you to go red," she whispered teasingly as she leaned closer, her lips a hairsbreadth away from his.

His eyes blinked rapidly and his heart pounded furiously in his ears. Those lush rosy lips were so close he could almost imagine what they felt like. He wasn't immune to her charms like Donavon, Damien, and Jet seemed to be. "Well?" he breathed.

"Just a minute." She could feel the heat radiating from his face and the warmth of his breath against her mouth. It made her lips tingle.

Vaughn didn't know what she was going to do. It was driving him crazy with what she was doing. He just wanted her to kiss him to end this torture that she was putting him through.

A brow arched as she watched his amethyst eyes glance quickly down at her mouth. A small smirk worked its way back across her lips. "Maybe I should give blondie a short thrill." She leaned forwards and lightly brushed her lips across his once, twice before leaning away. "Done," she said as she passed him another pleased smile.

His lips tingled from the slight touch of hers. He knew he was blushing furiously now. "What was that for?" he asked as he leaned back.

"Oh, I was thanking you for bringing me home the other night and for bringing these back to me," Veronica replied as she swung her jean clad legs off of her bed and held up the white lace. She shook her head at him. "You look like you're sunburned," she laughed as she walked towards her closet and tossed the panties into the hamper.

He reached up and pressed his hands on his face. It was hot. "Dammit! I probably look like a lobster," he mumbled.

"Oh don't get all bent out of shape Winner, I think you look cute when you do that," she said as she came back over to him and wrapped her arms around him from behind. She propped her chin up on his shoulder. "It's one of those adorable qualities you have," she said as she pressed a quick kiss on his cheek. "Now come on, dinner is going to be on the table soon."

Vaughn glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. Her golden hair was cascading over his shoulder like a waterfall. He could finally feel the color receding from his face. He sighed and placed a hand over hers. "I don't think I'll ever understand you."

"I'm a mystery."

"Couldn't agree more."

A genuine smile lit her face as she pressed another kiss on his cheek. She saw them pinken slightly before quickly fading. "Come on, I'm sure you're starving."

The scent of chamomile assailed his nose. It was calming, unlike its wearer. She made him feel unsettled. She was a contradiction. Her angel like looks belied the bad girl underneath. He passed her a slight smile of his own. "Dinner sounds good to me," he replied.

"Good," she said as she let go of him and started towards her door.

Vaughn shook his head as he followed her. "Ver?" he called quietly.

"Yes?" she asked as she paused to look over her shoulder at him.

"If you want to talk, I'm here," he said seriously.

A thin smile flitted across her face. "I'll think about it. Just remember the last time you got involved with reading peoples emotions though. It got you more than you bargained for Winner."

"It got me a cracked nose. But it was worth it. I know you're hiding. You may be a Yuy, but you can't hide what you feel from me like you do everyone else," he said solemnly.

"Once an empath, always an empath," she said ruefully as she laid her hand on the brass knob. She looked back at the carved wood on her door. "You read too much into things Vaughn. Stop being the empath all the time and just look with your eyes."

"I see plenty Ver with my eyes." He walked over to her and turned her back towards him. He looked down into her sapphire eyes. They were shuttered. "And if you let me see past that shield you put up, maybe I wouldn't have to resort to using my empathic abilities."

"I have nothing to hide."

"You don't huh?" Vaughn questioned as he tilted her chin up with one finger. He stared into her eyes for a moment. "Then how come I can't see anything," he countered softly.

With a sweep of her lashes she shut her eyes from his. He saw too much that way too. "Vaughn please?"

His hand fell away from her. "All right," he said as he took a step away from her. "Let's go down to dinner."

Veronica nodded her head and opened the door.

Vaughn followed her down the steps, his brow drawn into deep thought.

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All throughout dinner he observed her carefully. She never gave hint to what she really felt. She acted normal. She teased Dominic, talked with Victoria, and gushed over Alexandra and Rhys. She talked with Randy, but there were always slight barbs cast in Randy's direction. It was happening more and more lately. And the raven-haired Maxwell knew it. She wasn't blind. His eyes followed her as she took Rhys from her sister's arms and sat down next to her. He grinned slightly when she fed him a little of the coconut custard pie that Hilde had made and brought. "She would make someone very happy," he mused thoughtfully as he continued to watch her.

Veronica was aware of Vaughn's eyes on her. If he wasn't running his mouth off, he was quietly watching. His near genius mind would be going a mile a minute over details that everyone dropped about themselves. He knew way too much to make her feel comfortable. Her eyes went to her sister, who was alone tonight. Chris was away, out in the field. She was sure that Vaughn was noticing Victoria's obvious edginess as she was. She sighed as she poked another piece of pie in her nephew's mouth. "Come on Rhys, don't be stubborn like your father," she said quietly as he shook his head back and forth.

"I think that's already too late," Victoria commented as she turned and looked at her sister. "He's even more stubborn then Chris is. As is Alex," she sighed as she took another bite of pie off her fork.

"You should have put your foot down with him years ago before you went and married him," Veronica pointed out.

"I should have, but there is just no controlling a Maxwell. They're free spirits. And Alex and Rhys have inherited that I'm sure," Victoria said as she watched Alex with her grandfathers.

"Are you ok with Chris going away Vic?"

"I don't like it, but I'm ok. Rhys and Alex are older and I don't have to fuss as much over them. I don't need the extra hands so I'm completely ok with it."

"Even with his new partner?"

Victoria growled and speared her fork into the cream filling of the pie.

"I'll take that as a no?" Veronica arched her brows at her sister. "I wonder if you would have felt this way if his new partner had been a man and not a woman." She noted that Victoria's teeth grinded, but she said nothing.

"If it had been a man, I wouldn't have cared," Victoria muttered as she viciously cut through the cream of the pie again. She cast a look towards Veronica. "So how are you doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"I heard about that little "argument" you had with dad yesterday. Dominic told me."

"It was nothing," Veronica said dismissively with a wave of her one hand.

"That's bull. It was about you coming home late again," Victoria stated as she gave her young sister a knowing look.

"What of it? I'm an adult."

"Who still plays fast and loose."

"Like you weren't sleeping with somebody before marriage."

"Chris was the only one I slept with. I married him."

"Is it so wrong that I'm sleeping with Bobby then?"

"No, but you have slept with more then just him Ver. And guys talk, no matter what."

"Did Chris ever talk about you?"

"No, he didn't. He never talked about me because I was his girlfriend."

"And does it bother you that he's nailed nine women before you?"

"And how many men have you nailed?"

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"It is when you do it too much like you do!" Victoria hissed.

"Well I wasn't going to wait forever either!" Veronica shot back.

"I didn't say you had to! I don't care about the sex before marriage because I did before I was married. I don't care if you do! It's fine when you know what your doing, but you've earned yourself a reputation!" Victoria snapped.

"You all should mind your own business!"

"It becomes everyone's business when my own husband has words to say about it!"

"Yeah, what exactly did he call me?"

Victoria snapped her mouth shut, her lips pulling into a frown. "I'm not going to repeat it!"

"Why? Was it so bad?"

"Stop it Ver! I'm not going to call my own sister…that."

"What the hell did he call me!" Veronica snapped. Her sapphire eyes flickered brilliantly with anger.

Victoria pursed her lips into a tight thin line. "You really want to know?"

"Yes!"

"He…he...called you…an undiscriminating prostitute that you would only find in L2's red light district." Victoria cringed as she turned to look at her sister. "And I think he also called you a skank, but he said it in German so I'm not really sure."

Veronica blanched.

Victoria shook her head as her sister's face went as white as a sheet, then bloomed a scarlet red. "I told you," she sighed softly.

"Here's Rhys," Veronica said flatly as she handed her nephew back to his mother. She got up from the table and calmly walked out of the dining room and downstairs. Her fists clenched tightly with each step. She reached the punching bag that her brother, her cousins, her uncle, and her father primarily used. She took a swing at it, making the chain jingle quietly. "Asshole," she growled as she slammed her fist back into the bag.

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Vaughn hadn't heard what was said, but whatever it was, it had upset Veronica very much. He watched her as she left the room and then stood. He followed her at a discreet distance and didn't say a word as she took a swing at the punching bag. He could feel intense anger washing through her as well as deep hurt. He drew his brows together as he continued to observe her. "You want to tell me what's wrong?" he asked as he stepped forwards.

She whirled on him, her eyes flickering with the intense emotions she was feeling. "Why the hell do you want to know?" she snarled.

He was unfazed by her rank hostility. He merely shrugged his shoulders. "Because I can feel that there is. Why else would you feel the need to be so angry?"

Veronica gave him a nasty look. "It's none of your business Winner."

"I'm making it my business."

"Get lost."

"No."

"Will you just go away! Can't you let me do this on my own?" she spat, but tears were beginning to collect in the corner of her eyes.

"I won't let you push me out Veronica," he stated in a reserved tone. "What upset you?"

"NOTHING! JUST GO AWAY!" she cried as she turned away and covered her face with her hands. The tears spilled down her cheeks. She didn't want him to see her cry.

Vaughn could tell that she was crying. He placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her towards him. He didn't remove her hands from her face, but gently wrapped his arms around her and held her against him.

She was vaguely aware of his arms around her as she cried. Her hands gradually slipped away from her face to his shirt, which she clenched tightly in her hands.

He bent his head over hers, murmuring comforting words in Arabic against her hair. He rubbed her back soothingly. "What upset you so much that it's making you cry?" he asked again.

"Nothing," she whispered brokenly.

He removed one hand from her back to tilt her chin up to look at him. "Don't lie to me Ver."

Those violet eyes of his stared straight into hers and she couldn't look away. She knew he was seeing too much. "Chris said something," she sniffed.

"What did he say?"

"He…he called me…"

"What? What did he call you?" he prodded in a benevolent tone.

"…A undiscriminating…prostitute…that you would only find…in the red light district…of L2."

Vaughn frowned. The Maxwells usually were very straightforward, very blunt and very honest. Chris however was the one who didn't exercise tact. His brow furrowed as his anger built. He was usually hard to piss off, but those few words that Chris had called her, set him off. "Is that all he said?" he growled in a barely heard voice.

"What Victoria said that he said…yes," she said tearfully as she noted his eyes taking on an almost murderous glint. "But dad said last night…that Victoria punched him for saying it."

"As well as she should have. Next time I see him I just might do the same thing."

Sapphire eyes widened perceptively at his words. She could hear the underlying rage in his voice. She knew him to be nothing like that at all and he was going to do it because of her. For her. It was shocking in its context. "You don't have to."

"I do have to. I won't let him say something like that about you," he gritted out between clenched teeth. "And I don't care if he's older, three inches taller, and has more then thirty pounds on me."

"Why would you do something like that for me?" she asked. Veronica was truly perplexed.

"Because you're a lady and those words shouldn't be attached to you or any woman," Vaughn enunciated in a defiant tone.

A small smile crossed her lips. "Thank you."

His expression softened as he gazed down at her and wiped the tears from her cheeks with his fingers. "For what?"

"For being who you are."

"I've always been like this Ver."

"Not like this. Not for me," she added quietly.

"I would do it for any girl I grew up with."

A wry smile touched her lips. "If you say so."

He continued to brush the leftover tears from her cheeks. Her skin felt soft under his fingertips. He was relieved to notice that her face had returned to its normal color, the slight pink remaining in her ivory cheeks.

She lowered her eyes away from his as she felt his fingers on her face. His touch was light. She had never had him touch her like this before. It was a strange feeling, having his hands glide over her skin. "I probably look a mess. I don't want my parents to notice."

"You look lovely."

Her eyes shot up to his, her lips parting in surprise.

"I'm always honest," he said kindly as he rubbed his knuckles against the curve of her cheekbone.

A pale pink washed her cheeks. She blinked her eyes as she looked away from him. She never blushed from a guy's compliments before. And for him to be able to make her blush at all with his admission was mind blowing. "You don't have to be so nice."

"I'm not. I'm only saying what I see."

Veronica passed him a tremulous smile. "Let's go back upstairs."

"Ladies first," Vaughn said as he bowed gallantly.

Veronica's smile grew wider as she let go of him and started up the steps. She paused and turned to look at him. "Thank you again."

"It was nothing. You don't have to thank me for anything. I did it because I wanted to," he said truthfully as he gazed up at her.

The rosy pink lips curved into a brighter smile. She didn't say anything as she turned back on her sandaled feet and went back up the steps.

Vaughn followed, his brow knit in thought. He wanted to strangle her brother in law for even saying those words even though they held partial truth. She was undiscriminating, but he in no way believed the latter half of Chris's statement. "I have to stop this. She's hurting herself as well. I won't watch her go through this and have someone else will say something similar to this. I know it. But I'll be damned if I let this go on. And the first thing to go will be that Bobby Arquette," he said with determination in his eyes and voice.

A/N: How was it? This is going to be a little angsty too, but it won't be as bad as "Warring Hearts," I promise. But I will still add unexpected twists here and there. More coming soon! XOXO!!