A/N: Thanks to lex, my muse. Veronica may seem ooc, so you've been warned. Feedback is muchly appreciated and thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far. Italics are VMVO.
Voices passed over Veronica as if she was in a dream. They were broken, convoluted, non-sensical.
"Let's go..." That one was angry.
"Veronica? Veronica?" That one was worried.
"Open your eyes, Veronica." That one was scared.
"Duncan, now!" Veronica recognized that one after a minute. Celeste Kane.
"I'm not leaving." Duncan's reply was defiant, and that's when her eyes began to flutter open. She pushed away the hands that seemed to be all over her, and tried to sit up.
"Veronica, can you hear me?" Leo asked, his tone urgent.
"Yeah...yeah, I'm fine." She answered, trying to get her bearings. She turned her head to see where she was and came inches from Duncan's face. They stared at each other awkwardly for a moment, before she looked at the floor.
"Are you sure?" Duncan asked softly.
Peachy keen, jelly bean.
"I'm fine, honest." She let them help her up off the floor. "Did I hear you right? Logan's missing?" Veronica directed towards Leo.
"That can wait a minute." Leo answered.
"No, I need to know right now." Veronica demanded. "Do you think he jumped?"
"It looks that way." Leo sounded like he'd rather be anywhere else at that moment. She nodded, tears filling in her eyes.
It's all my fault.
"Duncan, let's go. It's been a long night." Celeste snapped at her son.
"I told you, Mom. The police need to talk to me about Logan." He replied as if he hadn't just told her the same thing a few moments ago. "and I'm not leaving until I know that Veronica's ok." Veronica gave him a greatful smile.
"Look, Duncan...why don't you go in and talk to the Sherriff now, and then your parents can take you home...that'll give Veronica a minute to get herself together."
Oh, thank God.
Duncan returned her smile before following Leo back to the the interrogation room. Leo returned after a moment and gave her a reassuring look.
"Hey, do you care if I..." Veornica gestured to the bathroom.
"Go ahead." He told her and she headed for the bathroom door like it was a lifeline. Anything beat sitting in that lobby with Celeste and Jake Kane for another minute.
She leaned over the sink and splashed some cold water on her face, trying to rid her brain of the fogginess it seemed bent on holding on to.
"You just couldn't leave well enough alone, could you Veronica?" Celeste Kane's voice snapped at her from the doorway of the ladies room, as Veronica met her gaze in the mirror.
"Yes, because having a child as a murderer is what every mother dreams of for her son." Veornica sarcastically replied. She had played Miss Nice Girl too long with these people. It was time they knew the real Veronica Mars.
"I did what was best for my son." Anger flashed in Celeste's eyes.
"What was best for your son?" Veronica exclaimed. "You mean you did what was best for you."
"How dare you?" Celeste cried out, stepping closer. Veronica knew she was pushing it, but didn't stop.
"How dare you?" She shot back. "If you really cared about Duncan, if you really thought he'd killed Lilly, you should've gotten him the help he needed." Veronica turned around and looked Celeste in the eye. "By the way...my dad had a paternity test run. Jake isn't my father." Veronica threw her paper towel in the trash, stepped around an open-mouthed Celeste, and left the bathroom.
That felt good.
She pushed her hair out of her face, and sighed, heading back to the bench to sit down.
"Here." She looked up to see Leo holding out a cup of coffee. "It's not very good, but it should keep you awake for the next few hours." Veronica took it and sipped it slowly.
Blech.
"Thanks." She said, holding it between to hands and taking another sip. "Make it yourself?" Leo nodded. "Please don't make me drink this." She said lightly, handing it back to him. He shrugged and gave her a smile, setting her coffee on the bench beside him.
"So, Logan...he's the guy you..." Leo started, looking uncomfortable.
"You mean my dead best friend's boyfriend?" Veronica replied, looking down at her shoes. "Yeah." Her tone was soft.
"He was brought in this afternoon, for the Lilly case." Leo volunteered.
"I know." She said, sighing. "I'm the one who turned him in." She gave a despondent look to his wide-eyed stare. "I told you. Trainwreck." Veronica said, using her thumbs to point at herself.
Duncan chose that moment to approach them, his hands shoved in his pockets.
"The Sherriff's ready for you, Veronica." He said.
"Ok." She replied, standing up. "Thanks for sticking around." Veornica hugged him. She felt his arms slip around her after a moment.
I miss you.
"Thanks for proving I didn't do it." He said, as he let go.
"Anytime." Veronica smiled. "Oh...you should probably find your mom. I let it slip about the paternity test. I think she's going to need help picking her jaw up off the floor."
Duncan opened his mouth to reply, thought better of it, and turned to walk away.
"Paternity test?" Leo managed to get out.
"I'll explain later." She answered. "Let's not keep the good Sherriff waiting." Her tone was laced with sarcasm. Leo made a sweeping gesture with his arm.
"After you."