Chapter Seven

Keith Mars was not only at the gate when his daughter's plane landed, he was on the gangway, chatting away with everyone who passed as they scurried about diligently doing their work. As soon as the hatch had been opened and passengers had been cleared to begin exiting, he flashed his newly acquired security badge and murmured quietly to one of the flight attendant's. The flight attendant picked up the microphone and apologized to the passengers, asking them to remain seated for just a few more minutes due to a security breach.

Veronica was already looking for ways to slip out from between her two friends and finagle her way into the cargo bay and onto another plane headed back east when she heard the announcement. She frowned and furrowed her brow as she looked up and then promptly dropped her face to her palm as she saw her father moving swiftly and professionally down the aisle. She could see the fabric of his jacket out of the corner of her eye as she tried to shrink down in her seat and not be seen. Wallace and Mac each grabbed one of her arms and pulled her upright as much as they could so that when Keith looked over the three of them with his stern, patronizing, and still oh-so-sheriff-like gaze and matching stance, he was able to at least see the top of her head as he said, "Ms. Mars? I have strict instructions to bring you directly to the head of security. Are you going to come willingly or do I need to cuff you?"

Her voice was rather squeaky when she responded, but her words were exactly what he'd expected, "Cuff me."

Wallace coughed to hide his laugh and Mac nearly choked as she ducked her head after seeing the gleam of enjoyment and triumph in Keith's eyes. With the help of her friends, Veronica stood and moved to the aisle where her father immediately took the cuffs off his belt and snapped them around her wrists behind her back. He kept one hand on the cuffs and one on her right shoulder before turning to Wallace and Mac, telling them, "You two had better come as well. We may need a statement from both of you."

Looking serious and sufficiently concerned, Wallace and Mac gathered their belongings and entered the aisle behind Keith, keeping their heads down so the other passengers would think they were in some sort of trouble along with their friend rather than what was really happening.

Once they'd shuffled off the plane, Keith directed them toward security where he insisted on an interview/interrogation room so he could complete the guise that had been created of busting his daughter. Granted, he really was busting his daughter but certainly not for something illegal although he was sure that had she managed to find a way, she would have broken any number of international laws in order to not be in his presence at the current moment in time.

Alone at last, with Wallace and Mac on the other side of the two-way mirrors, Keith smiled in a besmirching manner across the table at his daughter and said, "Honey," in a tone that only a seasoned law enforcement professional could possibly use with his progeny. He then changed it to, "Sweetheart, what exactly were you planning to do to get yourself off that plane back there, hmm? Were you really going to turn around and head back to New York without so much as a kiss and a wave to your father?"

Veronica deadpanned and said smartly, "Gee, dad, what would make you think I'd do a thing like that? Last I knew you were definitely NOT this close with my best friends. I'll have to make a mental note for next time."

"Next time, huh? You really planning on there being a next time or were you going to live out the rest of your days playing the Veronica Mars version of 'Where's Waldo?' " Keith asked pointedly.

Knowing she was caught, Veronica refused to meet his gaze, shrugging as she searched for something witty to say: "I'd stand out like a sore thumb in New York wearing his snazzy red and white get-up. Black and grey is the New York way. Get it straight."

"Forgive me," Keith said snidely, sounding both overly polite and sincere while insinuating a world of rudeness at the same time, "I'll try to remember that...for next time."

Blue eyes snapped to his dark ones, meeting across the table in a challenge that neither had expected to engage in at such an early juncture of their visit. Both refused to blink, staring each other down until Veronica finally shook her head and grinned, saying fondly, "It's good to see you, Pops."

Now it was Keith's turn to break into a grin. He motioned toward her hands and she lifted them for him so he could unlock the cuffs. He attached them back on his belt before rounding the table and pulling her into a bear hug, "It's good to be seen, Kid."

After several minutes of teasing banter, Keith got Veronica in a headlock and gave her an affectionate noogie, saying, "Come on, let's find your friends and get the hell outta dodge."

Grabbing Mac and Wallace from the observation room, Keith teased the 'kids' about their 'evil plan' and congratulated them on pulling it off. He admitted that he thought he'd have to make his way east if he ever wanted to see his daughter again but somehow, some way, they'd gotten her home even if it was just for a short visit.

Wallace looked very self-satisfied at the praise and Mac appeared to still be holding out with some sort of secret. Keith had to wonder to himself what else they may be up to but decided to leave it alone for the time being. For now, he just wanted to enjoy every moment he got to spend with his little girl.

As they loaded their things into his beat up old Crown Vic, Keith couldn't help but chuckle to himself. His girl had done good. He sobered a bit, though, as he studied her without her knowledge and thought to himself, 'Doing good doesn't mean squat if you're not happy.'