Title: When life turns out to be a joke

Author: Shanee

Pairing/Characters: Veronica, Wallace, Alicia, Darrell, Cliff McCormack

Rating: PG-13 (maybe R later)

Spoiler: through Season 2 Finale

Disclaimer: I still own nothing, sadly. Rob Thomas is still a King.

Summary: Veronica tried to understand what happened to her father and her apartment, and have to deal with someone's reproaches.

A/N : Thanks for your reviews, they pleased me a lot.

Lapdogdesign34 : thank for your offer, as you can see I need it. I sent you this chapter and the next, I don't know if you received it, but as I'm really not patient, I post the second chapter. I hope I don't do many mistakes in it, otherwise I'll edit.

I wrote the chapter 4 and 5 last night, so I'll sent to my providential beta and as soon as he sent me back, I'll post them here.

Oh, and jacedes, you will understand soon why Logan didn't pick her up, I promise.

I know there is no really LoVe for the moment, but it will happen, soon, and may be some other unexpected pairing.

Please, if you like it, or hate it, push the button "submit review". Please. ;)

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Part 2: I miss him, too.

She slept on the desk, her opened mouth drooling. She had worked all night long, trying to find out what happened to her dad, her dog and her apartment. She had fallen asleep two hours ago without finding a single and if her cell hadn't been buzzing, she would have kept dribbling on a file.

"Grumpf," she picked up her phone.

"Veronica? It's Letty, where are you? It's half past six. We are waiting for you," said a bossy female voice.

"Shit", escaped from her lips. "I'm sorry, didn't see the time. I'm here in… 15 minutes." She was glad her car was still parked in front of the office.

She rushed in the kitchenette to wash her face and to fix her hair. Luckily, she kept a spare uniform here. Less she would have to explain, better it would be. She appeared too often in the news these days, and she was pretty sure that it wouldn't help if the whole city talking about her father's mysterious disappearance.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

She was serving a young couple, when she saw Cliff McCormack come arm in arm with an appealing woman. They sat on a corner and began smooching.

"Hi Cliffy," Veronica butted in on them, plumping herself down in the nearest seat.

"Hi, V. How are you?" replied the lawyer between two long kisses.

"I'm thinking… exhausted, mucky, angry, worried, homeless, showerless, dadless. What else can I add?"

Cliff opened wide his eyes and stopped making out with his lady. "Huuuuuh?"

"You're like my father, you never answer to your phone. I left you a dozen messages. My dad never showed up at the airport, his bag is not at the office and our apartment has been cleared of everything."

"For your place, I didn't know, but for your dad, I had a call from him three days ago, asking my help in a case."

Veronica sat back and exhaled deeply, relieved. At least, her father was safe. He was on a case. She would rather know him running after a criminal across the country than missing from the surface of Earth without an explanation.

"What case?"

"V, it's confidential."

"Whisper it in my ear."

"Sorry, Veronica, but I can't. Order of your father."

Veronica was grumbling, looking at Cliff with angelic eyes and moue.

"'Doesn't work. But for your place, what happened? Housebreaking?"

"No, I don't think. It seems my father chose to move away, when I was in New York, but I don't know where, or if I'll be welcome there."

"You will. You don't need to worry about. You're his precious daughter, the sunshine of his old days. But now, if you'll excuse me, I need to prolong my conversation with the lady here."

"Thanks, Cliffy," she grinned at him and went back to her job.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"You know, for some people a sink is useful to wash hands and plates, and a shower for the rest of your body," said the boy turned down, facing the wall.

"Wallace!" shrieked Veronica, who was washing her leg in the basin. "What are you doing here?" She tried to hide her nudity behind a rag.

"Remember me? Great, I thought a moment you lost your memory, when I received none of your calls last week."

"Wallace," groaned she with a desperately tone.

"Then I realized how selfish I was, sure you had great time in New York with Her and I had not to worry about you forgetting me." She sighed and he resumed. "I saw your car in the street, so I came to see you. Because it's what BFF do, you know, visiting each other, make sure they're fine, take some news…"

She could hear sarcasm in his voice. He was still mad, not especially at her but at the whole planet. Only the whole planet wasn't here, just her.

"Ok I get it, now, please, could you stop it, Wallace?" She was dressed in her pajamas and sat down plump in the couch.

"Why are you in your nightie?" He asked her suddenly, looking intrigued.

"Because I'm sick of sleeping without." She grinned.

"But, why here?"

"I didn't tell you? Because I'm dying to find if this sofa is really comfy. Besides, I have nowhere else to go. We move on, but dad forgot to tell me where," she explained to her friend.

The look on Wallace's face made her laugh bitterly. At least, she wasn't the one who found this situation a bit odd.

Her BFF sat nearby and put gently his arms around her shoulders. She sighed, her head against his neck. They stayed embraced a little time and then Wallace jumped on his feet.

"Take the things you need. You come to my house."

She would protest, but he chucked her jacket to her.

"There is no way you stay here. You come to my house, that's it."

She smiled, that was the Wallace she loved.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A towel around her hair, Veronica breakfasted with Darrell. Alicia was cooking some pancakes and the screams coming from the bathroom attested that Wallace tried to take his shower. Darrell glanced, suspicious, at Veronica, who gave him an innocent gaze in return.

"You really are a girl," he rolled his eyes.

"Yeah right. I didn't have hot water either. So, I return you the compliment. Thanks by the way."

"Darrell, next time, you'll be the last to shower," warned him Alicia. "Now, wash your mug and pack your bag, you'll be late."

"How is your father?" Alicia asked Veronica, sitting near her.

"Last time I saw him, he was fine."

"Would you say him hello for me,"

"I will." Veronica smiled at the woman and resumed two seconds later. "He misses you, you know."

"I miss him, too." She replied with a murmur, while Wallace entered in the room.

"Hi, Supafly. What do you want to do today?"

"I thought about seeing Mac", answered Veronica.