Word Count: 1,468
Warnings: Swearing.
Disclaimer: Veronica Mars belongs to Rob Thomas and the nice people at the CW
Author's Note: Italics represent Veronica's thoughts and/or voiceovers. Obviously, I've fudged up the timeline, but not by much.
Author's Note #2: I know, I suck at updating. With summer now here, hopefully I can finally get going with this story again. Enjoy chapter 16.
Her face held a blank stare as she squeezed the masculine hand in her own. She squeezed it as if she was trying to pass some of her strength to Logan; as if she could pass life force through a simple squeeze of a hand.
Her eyes were empty of emotion, a constant reminder to those who saw her of the trauma she had and was continuing to go through.
She kissed his forehead before placing his hand gently back on the covers as she rose to her feet. She smiled sadly as she passed his mother, whose mascara stained face held a look of bravery behind a cloud of fear.
She moved down the ward towards another well-guarded room. Clarence Wiedman stepped aside, granting her access to her best friend's room.
Duncan, a constant feature at his sister's side, had fallen asleep, Lilly's hand tightly held in his hand as he rested against the hard mattress of the hospital.
Three weeks had already passed since the events at the Kane mansion and neither of the victims of Aaron's Echolls attack had awoken from their slumber.
Following his collapse at the Balboa county sheriff's office, Logan had been rushed to hospital, where it was discovered a broken rib had punctured his left lung. He was immediately sent to the theatre, where a surgeon quickly reset the broken rib and re-inflated the lung and stitched up the small tear in the flesh.
The doctors keep repeating the same phrase 'Once their system has recovered, they'll wake up. We've done all we can.'
Veronica snorted.
If I got a dollar every time I heard that phrase, I'd have enough to study at the college of my choice for 20 consecutive years!
She sat on the stool on the opposite side of Lilly's hand and held her right hand gently, rubbing the knuckles with her thumb.
She yawned loudly, glancing at the clock on the wall. 3:07 am it read. Her dad had warned her not to stay past three; that she needed to rest; needed to continue going school; needed to live her life.
The Homecoming Dance had been cancelled until further notice after the world found out about the events on the sunny October afternoon.
Leaning forwards, Veronica kissed Lilly's forehead before placing Lilly's hand back on her bed. Yawning again, Veronica left Lilly's room. Passing the security once more, Veronica tried to ignore the smirk that covered Wiedman's face. Glaring back, she passed through a waiting room/vending machine area and almost bumped into Logan's mother, who had just exited the ladies room, washing her face of the black trails and reapplying her makeup.
"Oh! Mrs. Echolls I'm sorry, I didn't see you there," Veronica babbled, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
"Are you alright, Veronica? You look like you haven't slept in days."
"You're one to talk," Veronica snapped. Yawning again, Veronica flushed as realisation awakened in her sleep-deprived.
"I'm so sorry Mrs. Echolls I snapped, all worry and no sleep makes Veronica a cranky girl."
Concerned, Lynn smiled gently at Veronica. "Nightmares?" She asked.
Nodding, Veronica yawned once more.
"I don't think you should be driving, you are too exhausted. I'm going to call my driver and have him bring you home."
Ignoring Veronica's protests, Lynn retrieved her cell phone from the bottom of her purse and dialled her driver's number.
Once finished asking Steve to collect Veronica, Lynn led the teen to an uncomfortable plastic seat where a silence so thick consumed the room. Veronica was fighting exhaustion as Lynn checked out the bags under her eyes and applied another layer of concealer to hide the lack of sleep.
"How's Keith?" Lynn finally asked, once the unending silence had become unbearable.
"He's good – busy, but that's only natural… given the… circumstances." Veronica meekly replied, suddenly very interested with her cuticles.
Sighing sadly, Lynn took Veronica's hands in her own and tried to calm her son's girlfriend.
"It's okay Veronica, he'll get through this… they both will."
"I keep telling myself that, but with each day, I can tell the doctor's are worried – for both of them. And then I start to day dream about horrible things and I just can't concentrate on anything."
Especially with the constant image of your husband panting and grinding above my best friend, former.
--
Keith Mars was anxious. His interrogation of Aaron Echolls had lasted twelve hours in total, over the past 3 weeks, due to Aaron's status and his extremely expensive lawyer.
He had just paused the current interview after only one hour – Aaron was pleading the fifth at every turn and continuing the interrogation any longer would only aid in angering Keith to his own breaking point.
Ordering Lamb to return the criminal to his cell, Keith returned to his office. Rubbing his tired eyes, he glanced at the clock and sighed – 03:52 a.m. His daughter was to be at home at 3am, but knowing Veronica she would still be at the hospital, grasping her boyfriend's hand.
His thoughts fell back to the events 3 weeks ago where all the current events came to a head. The panicked phone call from Veronica threw him in a spin, he'd never heard Veronica so scared and small; all he wanted to do was hold her in his arms.
He was in the emergency room to meet the ambulance carrying Veronica, Logan and Logan's mother, the two women speaking over each other. Keith aided the doctor's in separating the women from the unconscious teen.
Twenty-one days later, Keith had accepted Logan and Lynn to his extended family. He felt for Lynn, and worried for his daughters own health. Deciding to check in with his witty child, Keith dialled up her number.
--
Her cell rang out twice, a loud obnoxious song that could have woken the deepest of sleepers…. But not the two who's bedside's she had been at constant figure at.
Answering quickly, she heaved a sigh of relief at hearing her father's voice.
"Who's your daddy?" He said, laughing once his question was asked.
"I hate it when you say that." Veronica replied, her eyes glowing with a smile.
"You on your way home yet?"
"Mrs. Echolls has called her driver in to bring me home. I'll be home before 4… hopefully."
"Okay, good honey. Try to sleep. I'll be home before you wake up. I love you."
"Love you too." Veronica whispered, her voice heavy with sleep. Hanging up, Veronica smiled at Lynn as she watched the clock tick by ever so slowly.
"I've always feared that Logan would face the end of his life at Aaron's hands. I'd always feared it and prayed that it would never come. And yet here we sit; Lilly Kane down the corridor, along with Logan; both in comas that Aaron caused. I feared what would happen if I stayed, but feared what would happen if I left… just vanished from this life and his from the paparazzi and the prying eyes of my husband. But, if this is what happens when I remain, it makes me wonder… it makes me wonder what would have happened if I had left Aaron; left him to his own devices." Lynn paused, rubbing tears that were beginning to fall from the corners of her eyes.
"And then it hits me. He would have had free reign… and Logan and that poor girl may not be with us anymore. And that terrifies me."
The ring of the elevator door shook the two women from their reverie as a man in a tux exited the sliding doors.
"Ah Steve, thanks for coming by so quickly – and so late!" Mrs. Echolls praised, elegantly rising to her feet, clutching her purse in her hands.
"It was no problem Mrs. E. It's my job!"
"Like I said on the phone, I need you to take Veronica here home… she's too exhausted to drive on her own."
"That I can do, Mrs. Echolls."
Veronica smiled at Steve as he returned to the elevator. Facing Logan's mom, Veronica hugged her tight and thanked her for the driver.
"It's my pleasure. I don't think Logan would want you to not be here when he wakes up."
Smiling again, Veronica waved goodbye to Lynn and followed Steve into the lift. The ride down was quiet, and as they passed reception, Veronica didn't notice the flashing blue lights nor the motion of the busy nurses and doctors as they rushed to all fit into the one elevator.
The two entered the parking lot, Veronica refusing to sit in the back of the limo, and left the hospital.
Upstairs however, one of the many coma patients had just opened their eyes for the first time in almost 22 days, whilst another had entered a critical condition.