Story Title: They're Baaack
Chapter Title: You Can't Take All Of My Heart
Words: 4251
A/N: I'll explain the seriously long hiatus at the bottom.
Chapter 10- You Can't Take All Of My Heart
Recap...
JB drove me in his car and Emmett and Mike road in the Hummer.
"You heard it?" he asks when we're alone.
"Yes." I answer shortly.
"You need Q on this mission, just give me a ring."
NOW
I currently sat at home looking through my Chemistry book and my phone rang. I pick it up and see Meg on the caller ID.
"Hey you," I greeted slightly distracted.
"Thank you Veronica," Meg blurted out.
"For what?" I asked, putting my book down.
"We talked to Jake. He said he'd support us in whatever we needed. I'm going to move in here," Meg informs me.
Am I supposed to be happy that my ex-boyfriends pregnant girlfriend is moving in with him? Well, I really don't feel much for Duncan either way, so I guess the answer would be yes.
"That's great. I hope everything works out, and I'll be here to taser anybody if need be," I joke.
"Well, uh, that may have to happen once I tell my parents."
That's right. The Mannings must not be too thrilled at this latest development with their darling first child.
"Are you going to be okay? I mean, I know how you feel about your parents," I ask.
"I'll be fine. I just- they aren't that great. I'm eighteen now. They can't stop me from living my own life anymore."
I am so proud of Meg.
"That's good. And I'm sure Jake will make sure everything's okay. Tell Duncan I'm happy for him. The both of you. You are naming the kid after me right?"
She laughs. "Well, no offense, but I think if the baby's a girl, we're naming her Lilly."
That would be utterly perfect. As long as I get the middle namesake.
"Lillian Veronica Kane," I suggest.
"Perfect," she chuckles. "I'll see you Veronica."
"Yeah you will."
I hang up.
Well, at least I have one friend that doesn't want to abandon me. Wallace hasn't emailed me all weekend. It makes a girl feel kind of low when her brutha won't even acknowledge her. I mean, I am practically the reason he left. He asked me to look into his father.
Flashback
"Hey Supafly," Wallace greeted Veronica distractedly.. She sat next to him and gave him her concerned face. They were at Lugi's for subs. They made this date weeks ago, but for some reason, Wallace didn't seem to want to be there.
"What's wrong?" she asked him.
"Nothing. It's just, uh, I found these letters. They were addressed to me, from like when I was a baby. There were left on my doorstep a few hours ago," he confessed.
"Let me see them."
He handed over a stack of letters kept together by a rubber band. She shuffled through them, each had return to sender on the front. She noticed that none of them had been opened. She held one up in a "Do you mind?" gesture, and he signified that it was fine with him. She read the very first one.
"Uh, Wallace, these are from a man that claims to be your dad," she told him, handing him the paper.
"What? Hell no. I had a dad V. He was my father. This has just got to be some crazy guy, right?" he looked at her from confirmantion. "You can check this guy out right?"
"Of course. Anything for you," she told him earnestly.
END
I had screwed up his life like I screwed up Mac's. I proved Nathan was his father, and Wallace freaked. He said that he didn't know who he was, that his life was a lie. I tried to convince him that it wasn't as bad as he thought. That he was Wallace Fennel, and he grew up just fine. The person who raises you is your dad. Not whose blood you share. DNA means nothing if they don't care. But he left anyway. I should have just lied and told him that Nathan was a one night stand before his mom and dad got together. But no. I screwed it up.
And now, to give myself some renewed karma points, help the enemy.
I brought my laptop to me, and I looked up Elemtenal Consolidated Industries. It was the very first place the card was used. For five hundred dollars, it had better be something good. But no, it was a tarot card reading place. I sigh.
Just what I need.
I call Jackie, much to my dismay, to give her the latest update.
"Hello?" she answers.
"I think I know who stole your card. A woman named Madam Sophie. It just doesn't make much sense. How would she have gotten your card? Although I guess it's possible that Cora and the psychic were in this together," I speed off, skipping formalities.
"I know how Madame Sophie got the card. She got it from me."
Great. She sees a psychic. Oh ooija board, who will take me to homecoming??
"My grandma died two years ago, and even a person pretending to be Grandma telling me everything's going to be all right gives me comfort."
And its offiical. I suck.
"Hey, it's okay. There are times I still dream of Lilly. You don't have to explain seeking comfort about the dead to me," I say, as if it will make up for my bitchy thoughts.
"I've got it. I know how to get even: I'm going on her show."
"Oh god. The psychic has a show?"
"It's call Answers from Angels. Everyone at Neptune High watches it," Jackie said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Answers from Angels. The same show that JB mentioned earlier. The one that girl Michelle went on.
"I'll check it out. I'll go on the show and expose her as a fraud. Bye," I hang up.
THE NEXT DAY AT SCHOOL
Third period isn't my lunch period, but it is Michelle's. She sits at a table alone, working on her lunch. I approach her, intent to find out as much as I can.
Most likely, Sophie has someone scout out people. Michelle went on the show, so all I have to do is find out who she spilled her guts out to.
"Hey, uh, Michelle?" I call. She turns her head and looks at me as I go on to sit next to her. "Do you mind if I sit here? It is Michelle right?"
"Yeah, to both," she replies, a little taken back.
"I saw you on T.V. "Answers from Angels." That was pretty amazing. The reason I wanted to talk...I'm thinking about going on the show. And...what exactly did they have you do, when you got there? Did-did someone from the show ask you who you wanted to communicate with?"
"Oh no. Nobody knew that I wanted to talk to Rhonda. Madam Sophie just kind of knew. You know, with her psychic thing."
"So nobody knew at all?"
She thought for a moment. "Well...there's this one lady backstage, this other audience member, and we got to talking."
"Oh," I nod. "What'd she look like?"
"A wack job." She chuckles. "Big hair, rhinestone glasses. Why?"
"Oh nothing, I just wanted to know what to expect. Thanks Michelle, this has been really helpful."
I stand up and leave, walking back into the hallway to see Logan and Duncan talking. They seem much chummier than they have been lately. Duncan pats Logan on the shoulder and leaves. Logan sees me and comes toward me.
Well, I wonder what they were talking about.
"Hello," he said, kissing the top of my head.
"Hi," I greet back. "What'd Duncan want?"
"Nothing, Just to hang at his place tonight. You don't mind do you? I mean, we didn't have plans did we?"
"Nope. That's good. You guys hanging out I mean."
"Good. I'll see you later."
He walks away and I walk to the lockers across the way. JB is looking for something in his locker, but he can't seem to find it. I lean against the lockers, behind his door.
"Hey Q, remember that offer you made?" I whisper. His head snaps away from the inside of the locker, but he doesn't close the door.
"Yeah," he whispers back.
"Can you hack into some security cameras for me?"
"Ooooh, heavy duty stuff. Sure. When do I pick you up?"
Gotta love a Grayson. Any of them really.
"Tonight. Seven."
"Cool. See ya later."
LATER(that was totally intended sarcasm btw)
"Alright, here is what I need you to do," I inform JB as we step into the access cable station. "You need to get into the security cameras to tell me where the wacky lady with insane hair and big rhinestone glasses is."
"So what, just text you?" he asks me.
"No way Q. That is too low tech. I got these," I show him two small earpieces.
"Comms! You are my all time best friend!"
Well, I don't want to ruin our little moment by telling him that Mac was the one that supplied me with the comms.
"Yeah. Yeah," I smirk. "Now as soon as I get to her, I'm going to set them up by talking about Uncle Roger."
"Whoa wait," JB stops me. "My Uncle Roger? The one who died when I was ten? Why don't I just do this? I mean, if you're going to use my family..."
"Hey! I loved your uncle too!"
I did! His uncle was always real close with my dad. His uncle worked as a FBI agent in San Diego, but he came to work on cases down here all the time. He was killed in the line of fire. That was actually how I met the Graysons. Through my dad and Uncle Roger.
We walked in, JB's laptop in hand. He sat in the back. I kept an eye on him from my place backstage. His hands moved at such a quick pace I was slightly shocked. I had never seen JB in real action before.
"I'm in," I heard in my ear. "You two are close. Just walk around that huge wall, and you got her."
"Thanks," I whisper back. "I hope you stick around to see my acting skills at work."
I gushed to the lady for a little while, pretending to get a drink, before I was rushed back to my seat. The lady bought it hook, line and sinker.
I sat in my place beside JB, and Madame Sophie begins to dig her own grave."I need someone in the audience to help me do this.
"An 'R.' Someone is looking for an 'R.'"
My hand shoots up, and moments later, I'm on stage.
"He was...special to you. Took you places. Made things for you," she confirms. I nod and look into the audience, looking at JB's sad smile.
"That's my Uncle Roger," I say with a solemn expression on my face.
Come on lady. Let's get this over with.
"Wait. I am receiving another voice. A young woman. I see...the letter 'L.' She is holding out a flower, a...lilly. Lilly?" she asks.
I stare at the woman.
Alright, so maybe the woman isn't such a fraud. But then, I was on the news a lot after Lilly's murder and Dad's impeachment from Sheriff. It makes it hard to go undercover.
"She has a message for you. You should know by now, it's always the quiet ones." Madame Sophie says, extremely confused. "Something else. She has more to tell us...Stop dreaming about me and move on with your life."
I nod ruefully, as if I completely understand, as the audience members stifle laughs.
Of course. Jackie. But what about that first part. It's always the quiet ones?
IN THE CAR
JB closes the door to his Saturn and I look through my own laptop.
"You're sure you're okay? No need for Chunky Monkey therapy?" he prodded.
"Mike told you about the Chunky Monkey huh?" I chuckle.
"He may have mentioned it. You want to stop by someplace?"
"Nah, I'm okay. I have to check a bug anyway."
"Ah, where?" he asks, leaning over his seat.
"Sheriff's department. Lamb's office more specifically," I tell him.
"When did you have time to pull that off?"
"I uh, sent it to him yesterday morning. Mac gave me this beetle incased in like, plastic or glass or something. I made it look like it came from the exterminator. Knock 'em dead on election day."
I pull up the recorder and hit the speaker.
LAMB: Mr. Cook.
TERRENCE: Good to see you, Sheriff.
LAMB: I was thinking that you might be interested in buying some tickets to our annual fundraiser. They're ten bucks a pop.
TERRENCE: You asked me to come all the way down here just to hit me up for a donation?
LAMB: I like to get to know our more notable residents -- business leaders, Hollywood types, all-star athletes -- personally.
TERRENCE: Put me down for two. It was real nice to meet you.
Silence.
LAMB: Actually, I was thinking you might purchase more like a thousand tickets.
JB and I exchange raised eyebrows.
LAMB: Oh, and if you could M.C. the bachelor auction that would be great.
TERRENCE: That's a lot of money, Sheriff.
LAMB: Yeah, that's ten thousand dollars. If my math's correct. Hey, it's not three million dollars. Now THAT is real money. I mean, that's the kind of money that certain people take very, very seriously. Gambling debt like that and they might send some guys down to your nice, new Cliffside house to remind you that your payments are due.
TERRENCE: What are you getting at, Sheriff?
LAMB: Pretty sure I just got to it, slugger
TERRENCE: I never bet on baseball.
LAMB: I got a guy in a holding cell back there, says you did favors for gentlemen who bet extensively on baseball.
Pause.
LAMB: We both have something in common. We'd both like to see you make it into the Hall of Fame.
I end it there. I close my laptop screen and look to my friend, who starts his engine.
"This is bad," JB states as he turns out of the parking lot.
Yeah, this is bad. And good revenge.
"Don't do it," he says, as if reading my mind. "It's not worth it."
"She used Lilly against me."
"I know. And she used my brother. But this is just way too low Veronica."
"So what?"
"Giving it to Lamb, that's one thing. Playing it in front of all her peers V. Not cool," he shakes his head.
"Mike would let me," I pout.
"Mike would do it himself. Go ahead. But maybe you should give her a little warning before hand?"
"Fine."
Now I know why Mike and I get along better. He's the one who throws morals out the window. JB and Emmett guilt trip me way too often.
My cell rings. Logan.
"Hey!" I answer cheerily.
"You okay? DK and I saw it," he tells me.
"Oh, yah, I'm fine. Just apparently in need of a life. I mean, that was pretty pathetic for a prank."
"Dick just called me. Apparently, and he just found out about this from Madison, it's Jackie's initiation. Into 09erdom."
"Ahhhh. Well, she's going down. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Bye."
We hang up, and JB pulls into my apartment complex. I get out and see my dad eating at the counter.
"Hey sweetie. Have fun?" he asks.
"Tons. I need you to listen to something dad," I tell him. I turn to the phone and dial the number for the voicemail I forwarded the message to.
"If it's 'Live at Budokan', I already got to it. Hey, you know, I discovered YouTube today. A client suggested Charlie the Unicorn. Very funny," he jokes.
"Dad, it's a voicemail from one of the students who died in the crash. She called just as the bus went over," I inform him as I play the message. His face is serious. He listens through out, and he hears the bang. "Did you hear it?"
"An explosion," he nods solemnly.
"Before the bus hit the railing. The bus was sabotaged. That means that we can prove Lamb was too quick to judge before. He's sloppy. There's still time before the election--"
"No," he cuts me off. "I'm not gonna leverage the deaths of seven people just to win an election.I'm already leading anyway."
"But dad, this is a definte. You need to be elected so we can do this right."
"If that sound is an explosion, not only were those kids murdered, but the guilty party is still at large. That evidence can't go public if we want this investigation to stay ahead of the --"
"What investigation? You think Lamb is gonna solve this? The only way the killer gets put away is if you win the election," I plead.
"Sweetie, this is the end of this conversation! I will win this election. But we need to keep this underwraps, alright? Just relax. We will win this election, and we will solve the case. Just make sure to relax," he reassures me and kisses my head.
I head to my room, exhausted and exasperated I decide to call Jackie.
"It was supposed to be funny, a punking, that's all," she says, knowing I'm going to kill her.
That's right. It was real hilarious. I'll really enjoy destroying you.
"You used my dead best friend to try and humiliate me. And the worst part is, it wasn't even something that could destroy me."
"I just wanted to take you down a peg. For supposable being this legendary badass, for everyone loving you, for people not even insulting you just because you figured out what happened to Lilly."
"You have no idea what I have been through."
"I was supposed to embarrass someone in front of the entire school. I figured this would qualify," she told me. "I only told her the dream thing. I don't have a clue what that first part was."
"You are so pitiful Jackie." I hung up.
I put my phone down and went to bed, trying to understand.
It's always the quiet ones. What's that supposed to mean? And how should I know? I mean, I used to be a quiet girl, but now I just create drama. Why does Lilly leave me with more questions than answers? I thought that since she was dead, she'd be at peace. But she's the great Lilly Kane, and she don't play it like that.
THAT FRIDAY
I get up much earlier than usual for my normal routine. Dad is still asleep, so I leave him a note to tell him that I left to school early. I get in my LeBaron and pull out of the parking lot.
This is what I have to do to drive myself to school these days. Between the Graysons, Meg, and Logan, my car has been put out of commiisson. What are their issues with my car? It's practically a convertible. I mean, the top does go down.
I pull into the school parking lot and sit at my usual table at the courtyard.
I burned a CD of the recording from Lamb's office last night. I just haven't decided what to do with it yet. JB should just waste his morals on his girlfriend. I am a PI. There is no room for mercy in my biz.
"Hey," Mike greets me as he sits next to me. "I stopped by your place, but you were already gone."
"Do you, your brothers, Meg and Logan have meetings about who gets to take me to school? I can drive you know. I am an excellent driver. The only time I was ever in a car accident was when a maniac killer was stowed away in my backseat."
"Well, maybe we just don't want the maniac killers of the world to get a chance."
Oh, he is suuuch a riot.
"Whats new?" he asks, changing the subject. "Did you decide whether you're going to use that recording against Jackie?"
"JB told you?"
"Yes, and I told him to keep his conscience to himself. I think you should do it. You mess with the bull..." he trailed off.
"You get the horns," I laughed. I take the iPod from his hand. "Let us see what you have been listening to mister."
"Story of the Year. I've been Limewiring like crazy lately. Jackie has been bitching about what you're going to do to her everytime I see her. I had to do all the chemistry assisgnments myself! Music is my comfort," he explains.
"What have you told her?" I ask curiously as I begin to listen to "The Unheard Voice".
"That if she doesn't shut her goddamn mouth I'm going to get you to taser her for me," he chuckles out as he takes the other earphone. "Who told you that you're allowed to violate my iPod like this?"
"Would you rather me steal it again and put music from 'Bye Bye Birdie' on there?"
He hates Broadway, so it was a fun April Fool's day prank.
"That was not funny. Suddenly, my iPod is blaring through out the house to 'One Boy', and my party is ruined," he scowls.
"And your rep," I joke.
THAT NIGHT
I come out of my room in my dress, and my dad looks up from his bowl of cereal.
"You look beautiful," he tells me softly.
"Thanks Dad," I reply as I kiss him on the cheek.
"You are actually going to the dance this time aren't you?" he asks. "I don't have to activate the GPS in your tooth, do I?"
"Logan and I are going to the dance. Kind of have to. He, Duncan, and Mike were nominate for King. It'll be a testosterone battle. I brought pepper spray," I joke as someone knocks on the door. My dad gets it.
"Honey, you have a gentleman caller. You got the emphasis on the gentleman part, right?" he adds to Logan.
"Mr. Mars, you wound me! Don't worry, I'll have her home in time to keep up her search of that damned Maltese Falcon," he snarks.
"Well, if anyone could find it, it'd be her," my dad comments as he kisses my head and I walk out the door. "Tell Mike I'm rooting for him."
"Mr. Mars, that hurts. I mean, that really hurts. You could have at least waited till I was out of earshot."
"Oh, come on. It's like rootin' for the Yankees. Bye Dad." I close the door.
"You look gorgeous. Shall we?" Logan extends his arm.
"We shall."
THE DANCE
The recording is locked and loaded in my bag. I just have to give it to the DJ under the pretense of a homecoming request.
"Hey, I'll be right back," I kiss Logan's cheek and head to the DJ station. JB spots me and leaves Mac to incercept me.
"Are you sure about this Veronica?" he pleads one last time. Mike comes from behind us and grabs his younger brother.
"Leave her alone. This is her choice," he steers JB away. I hand the disc to the DJ and walk away.
I feel a little guilty sometimes. They were forbidden to come to visit Neptune by the Grayson's corporate lawyers. They had made a deal with the brothers, because associating with me was bad for buisness. Mr and Mrs. Grayson didn't know about it. They would have fired the men right off, and I guess the guys didn't want that.
"You okay?" Logan asked when I rejoined him by the refreshment table. "You look sad."
"Nothing, just wondering how much tequila Dick put in the punch," I answer non chalant.
"Well, if that is any indication, I would say the entire bottle," he points across the gym.
A very drunk Jackie kisses Casey Gant, and he seems to be doing his best to get away, but she clings to him like the leech she is.
"Think we should help Casey?" I ask.
"Yeah, let's go."
We walk over to the two, Casey doing his best to get her off of him, when I rip Jackie away.
"You looked like you were struggling there, Gant," Logan jokes to his old friend.
"Well, I like mine to be able to walk in a straight line," Casey tells us, as Jackie begins to throw a fit.
"God, Veronica. What is your problem? You really can't make up your mind, can you?" she shouts. "Just pick one of them, God! How many guys here do you expect to want only you?"
"Are you freakin' kidding me?" I ask her. My request starts to play.
LAMB: I got a guy in a holding cell back there, says you did favors for gentlemen who bet extensively on baseball.
Jackie runs out of the dance, people laughing at her.
"I feel sorry for the girl," Casey comments.
"I don't. See you later Casey," I say as I walk away with Logan.
Hey guys. At frist, it was about my glasses. Then, I couldn't find any inspiration on THIS story, so I wrote to this book I'm writing(ambitous I know. 27 chapters in and I'm still not done.), All The Best Psychos Have Mommy Issues, and the ending to my Gilmore Girls fanfic.
After that, I felt really bad. I don't know how many of you have finished a story before, but it kind of takes a lot out of you. I don't know, maybe it's just me. I'm not going to lie to you guys, I considered deleting this story. But my cursor was on the button, and I couldn't do it. I really just couldn't.
So I am makin this up to you with an UBERLONG chapter. All of you must thank my Beta, Lover159, who beta'd this 4251 word chap in a little under 2 days! Applause please!
Magic Pie says: To review means to let a little bit off your chest. Don't bother hiring a chiropractor, just review to help your back!
Oh, I almost forgot. While I was avoiding writing, I read some fics. Check out Another Set of Eyes and Below The Surface. Both are REALLY good.