When Wallace woke up, it was to the sound of beeping and muttering. The former was coming from a heart monitor. The later was coming from Veronica. She was staring at her laptop with her 'I'm so not going to stop until I pass out or until my dad makes me look'. Wallace used this rare unguarded moment to make sure she wasn't hurt. Frowning slightly at the livid bruise on her face, but otherwise satisfied she was all right, he decided make his presence known. Putting on his best Veronica Mars impression, complete with head tilt, he asked "Watcha doing?"

Giving a nervous little start at the sound of his voice, Veronica looked up. "Hey Wallace." she said with a smile. Then she went right back to work.

"Did I miss something?" asked Wallace, looking confused. "Shouldn't you be weeping over my broken body?"

Not looking up this time Veronica responded with a resounding "No. But I did sign your cast. Look."

Wallace did, and to his horror, it read: "To my hero" with hearts and puppies all around it. Dumbfounded, Wallace could only stare. "That, by far, is the most girly thing I have EVER seen. Is that lavender?"

"Sorry, but they were all out of pink." Veronica informed him regretfully. For now, Wallace decided to pretend it didn't exist. It was just easier that way. After shaking his head, he realized some things. He REALLY needed to not shake his head any more, because it hurt. And Veronica was, again, focused on her laptop.

"What are you working on anyway? Seeing as you ain't got no love for a brothah."

Arching an eyebrow, Veronica said factually "I got plenty of love. Hearts and puppies remember? As for your question, I'm looking for our mysterious rescuers."

Looking interested, Wallace sat up. "Find anything?"

"Yep"

"Really? What?" he asked very interested now.

Veronica finally stopped working and looked at her best friend. "How much do you remember from last night?"

"You mean, other than the doctors telling me that my arm is so messed up I won't be able to play ball this year? If ever." Looking horribly guilty Veronica started to apologize. "Not your fault so don't even start. After what they said? I'd do it again in a heartbeat." Now it was Wallace's turn to look guilty. "If it even mattered what I did."

"Of course it mattered."

Wallace snorted in disbelief "Because we aren't in a hospital, and you don't have the biggest bruise I have ever seen on a female's face that wasn't on an episode of CSI." Disgusted with himself, he continued "I got beat and tossed aside like a baby! So don't tell me it mattered Veronica."

Tearing up a little, Veronica said simply "It mattered to me."

Wallace didn't really know how to respond to that, so he just changed the subject "Look. Could you just tell me what you found? Leave the rest of it alone, at least until later?" Nodding her head, Veronica agreed, and went back to her original question. Thinking about it, he told her most of the night after the unfortunate arm breaking was kinda blurry. "But I do remember the blonde dude talking about how the other dude was going to be eaten by his girlfriend if that helps."

Veronica opened her mouth to comment, but thought better of it. "And moving right along, I just happen to know their names. Blondie is Spike, the other one is named" she paused, smiling a little "Angel."

"Hold up! What was that?" Veronica gave him a confused look. "That little pause when you said 'Angel'." Wallace's eyes widened in realization. "You have a crush!" He proclaimed with no small amount of glee.

"I do not have a crush!" Denied Veronica. "In case you didn't notice I already have a boyfriend."

Looking smug, Wallace went on "Yeah you do. But he's not here is he? Veronica Mars: Pimp Momma! Watch out LA!"

"Are you insinuating that I may be of a promiscuous nature?" Veronica asked in a slightly dangerous tone.

A tone which Wallace completely ignored. "I would've gone with something a little classier like ho bag, but o.k."

Glaring a glare that promised sweet and salient revenge, Veronica continued her narrative. "I googled their names but found, like, a billion different websites. Almost all of it greeting cards and hardware stores. Then I remembered the ax guy's name. Charles Gunn." Wallace interrupted to ask when she found that out. "After Spike and Angel showed up. Angel called him 'Gunn' and Spike Called him 'Charlie boy'. So I did a little cross referencing and came up with this." She stopped to show him her screen.

"Wolfram and Hart." read Wallace. "The lawyers?"

"That's them." Veronica confirmed, looking pleased with herself. "And take a look at who's on the top of the chain."

"Angel. HE'S a lawyer?" asked Wallace looking doubtful.

Shrugging, Veronica said she didn't know. "The site doesn't mention Spike at all, but it does go on to list the various department heads. Our Mr. Gunn was head head of security. According to the site, Wolfram and Hart have their own personal swat team."

Now Wallace was really confused. "What does a law firm need with security like that? And why put a lawyer in charge of it?"

Before Veronica could respond, the nurse came in to check on Wallace. "Oh good! You're awake!" she exclaimed cheerfully. "How are you feeling?" and before Wallace could say anything she stuck a thermometer in his mouth and told him not to talk for five minutes. Moving to his cast, she kept a none stop stream of information flowing from her mouth, what kind of medication Wallace was on, how often he should take them, how adorable the hearts and puppies looked, and what not to take the meds with. Finally stopping to breathe, she told Wallace to cheer up. "I'm sure you'll be back on the football fields in no time sweetie!" And with one final pinch to the cheek and a wink, she was gone.

"She forgot the thermometer." noted Veronica.

-

After the nurse left the room, she went into the employee lounge where she met up with Angel and Spike.

"How did it go?" Angel asked.

When the nurse replied, it was with none of the cheerfulness or warmth that she displayed earlier. "Everything proceeded according to your plan."

"Great!" Spike said suddenly, getting right in her face. "Now you can take off that ridiculous outfit and go back to not looking like my dead friend!"

Eye's narrowing, the nurse pushed Spike out of her personal space. "Careful vampire. I have defeated more for less."

"Spike!" shouted Angel, getting between them "You knew the plan, that Illyria had to look like Fred in order to leave the bug!"

"I know! It's just" trailing off, Spike sighed. "I can't stand seeing her like that. Like she's still Fred and not the thing that killed her."

"Why does my assuming the Burkle persona disturb you now, when before it didn't?" Illyria questioned.

Chuckling darkly, Spike told her the reason. "I didn't actually see you like this before now did I? It's quite different in the flesh. So to speak."

"Get over it!" Angel told Spike harshly. "They know what you and I look like. We needed to find someone they wouldn't recognize."

"What about your bitch? They don't know who SHE is!"

"First off all," Angel said, punching Spike in the face "You don't call her that. Got it? Secondly, Nina wouldn't be able to pull something like this off. She's a terrible actress and an even worse liar. That's why her family knows she's a werewolf."

"Whatever." Spike said. Then, rubbing his now sore jaw, he sat down at the table to sulk.

Looking at the unhappy vampire, Illyria frowned. "I do not know why you tolerate such behavior from your underlings Angel."

Snorting, Angel said he didn't know either.

-

"You know, sometimes a thermometer is just a thermometer." Wallace said as Veronica stared intently at said object. "I mean, you do realize that was just in my mouth for like, ten minutes right?" Ignoring the comment, Veronica put the thermometer down and started muttering to herself again. "Really Veronica, how paranoid are you?" Wallace asked, getting a little frustrated with her. After all, he was the one who was hurt. Not that he would belittle what she went through, but a little attention would be nice. "Not everybody is out to get you. So why don't you just put the thing down, and we can get back to our conversation."

Turning to Wallace, Veronica pinned him with a look. "How many nurses do you know that take your temperature, but forget to look at the results?"

He gave her a one arm shrug. "Did you see her? She didn't even know I play basketball. She was flakier than my Great Aunt Sally after she gets into the cooking sherry. "

Veronica rolled her eyes. "You don't have a Great Aunt Sally. But that's not the point."

"O.k. So what is?" Wallace asked.

"The point, my dear Wallace, is that not ten minutes before you woke up, a different nurse was in here doing nurse type things."

"So?" Wallace asked, still not getting it.

"So. The woman who was just here wasn't a real nurse." Veronica stated with some triumph.

Laughing Wallace said "THAT has to be the dumbest thing I have ever heard a smart person say!" At that, Veronica got up from her seat and headed to the door. A curious mixture of a pout and a glare on her pretty face. "Hey wait!" Wallace called to her. "I'm sorry don't go."

Veronica turned to face him, now wearing a smirk. "Awww." She teased. "Is the widdle Wallace scared he hurt my feelings? Well you can relax ex-lax. I'm just going to the nurses station to prove myself right."

"Be my guest." he responded, wincing a little. "And when you do find that nurse, tell her to send her flaky ass back in here. My meds are starting to wear off."