A Barely Breathing Story: Chapter Eight

[jesterladyfic]

Chapter Eight: Veronica and the Museum Theft

Veronica lazily pushes the volume button on the television. She’s hanging out with the Scoobies over at Buffy’s house and she’s supposed to be doing her homework. Well, she’s got it mostly done and Dawn’s begging her to watch with her so she does. Her phone buzzes beside her and it’s Logan but she doesn’t really feel like talking to him so she ignores it.

She flips through the channels and hits the news channel. A reporter is standing in front of the Sunnydale Museum talking about a stolen diamond and a frozen security guard. She raises her eyebrow.

“That happen often?” she asks Dawn.

“Nope,” Dawn says, sitting up. “I’m thinking it might be research time.”

Buffy walks into the room and slumps down on the couch.

“Dawnie, you need to finish your homework.”

“But it’s almost over,” Dawn says.

“I got a call from your teacher, she says you’re not doing as well as you could,” Buffy says dully but firmly. “You need to do it first and then you can watch something.”

“Veronica’s not,” Dawn says rebelliously, flinging herself off the couch and up the stairs.

“Veronica’s an adult,” Buffy says wearily.

“I’m sorry,” Veronica says, making to leave. “I’ll go.”

“No, it’s okay,” Buffy tells her. “I’m just gonna have to be So-Unfair-Totally-Ruining-Her-Life-All-New-Adult Buffy for awhile.”

“Ah, the rare breed,” Xander says, coming in from the kitchen with Willow.

Veronica hasn’t really seen Willow for awhile. After the amnesia spell Giles had taken Willow and Xander aside before his flight and neither of them had looked too happy when they came back. All Veronica knows is that Tara’s living with her now and really depressed and Willow doesn’t look too much better.

“I’ve got something to say,” Buffy says, sitting up.

Willow and Xander exchange glances and lean forward.

“What’s up?” Willow asks.

“Spike and I are seeing each other again,” Buffy says.

“About time,” Veronica says, smiling, then notices that Willow and Xander aren’t doing the same.

“Not again,” Xander groans. “We thought death had knocked some sense into you.”

“Really sensitive there,” Veronica says sharply.

Xander starts guiltily.

“I didn’t mean it like that. I just thought that you might not feel the way you did…before the…the dying.”

“I don’t,” Buffy says. “Not all the way. But I-I just need something and he’s it. And that might not be fair, but it’s just…the way it is.”

“Take it from someone who’s not in Healthy Relationship Land,” Willow says, “don’t do this. You’re just gonna get hurt.”

“Are you guys both crazy?” Veronica says. “She’s only ever been happy with Spike.”

“She’s never died before,” Willow says.

“Uh…hello, drowning/resuscitation?” Buffy says, looking like she’s attempting a smile.

“Right…” Willow says, trailing off.

“Bottom line, Spike’s a vamp without a soul,” Xander says, “and we tend to kill those.”

Logan buzzes her for the third time in an hour and Veronica groans.

Ever since the spell he’s been feeling extra guilty or something for the things Amnesia Logan said to her and he’s returned to Extra Clingy Logan Who Just Happens To Live in the Same Dorm Hall And Is Impossible To Avoid.

She has to leave and she hates to because Willow and Xander are going to town on a practically helpless Buffy, but she’s got her own problems.

She does call Spike and inform him of what’s going on and tells him to get over there as soon as he can.

He thanks her and then hangs up quickly after she confirms their training session for the next morning. She’s decided that she can’t afford to give up on that while she lives in Sunnydale and just a taser isn’t going to work anymore. Besides, she misses it.

Tara’s gone when Veronica gets home so she bites the bullet and calls Logan back.

“How goes the homework?” he asks, surprisingly not sounding like he’s pissed off because she hasn’t called him back.

“Kinda got caught up in a Scoobie argument. Buffy and Spike are together again. Willow and Xander: not so happy about it.”

“It’s about time,” he says, snorting.

“I highly agree. I can’t think of anything better for her at the moment. I’m just worried what the pressure she’s under is going to do to them both. I just needed to be there for her. Sorry.”

“I want you to be there for her,” he says cautiously.

“But…?”

“But I kind of can’t help feel shunted out of the picture. Also, that you’re putting too much pressure on yourself.”

“First one’s more important though?” she asks, more snidely than she should have.

“Claws out, I see. Shall I call my emergency eye transplant doctor now or are you feeling generous?”

“Yeah, the thing I want to be doing most in the whole world is cleaning up after you and explaining the absence of the world’s most annoying child celebrity.”

“The reporters will be beating down your door and then I can just see the headlines: Chronically Self-Righteous Veronica Mars Jailed For Murder!”

“Some reason why you’re being such a jerk right now?”

“I move here for you and all you can do is practice self-defense with a vampire and put yourself in danger. A pretty good reason, I’d say.”

“You’d say a lot of things, but it’s all just a cover up for a poor little rich boy who doesn’t have any friends.”

She winces as soon as she’s said it because that’s hitting a whole bunch of nerves that she knows she shouldn’t.

“I’m thinking about hanging up,” he says after a minute or two.

“I’m sorry,” she says. “I just feel like you’re overreacting a little. I think it’s important to be able to take care of myself and I would like to remind you that you said moving here wasn’t about trying to possess me.”

“Hell, Veronica, it always comes back to that with you. You’re so afraid of getting close to someone that you develop every way possible to protect yourself and you’re the one who’s just gonna end up getting hurt. And then you’ll probably get eaten.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“You don’t have Slayer strength anymore.”

“Neither do you but that doesn’t stop you from getting into stupid fights.”

“I’m not fighting vampires.”

“Well, you live in Sunnydale now, you just might have to. I suggest you get the same lessons I’m getting because I’m itching to try them out on you.”

“Physical violence again. Maybe I should get a restraining order.”

“Now who’s distancing themselves?”

He actually laughs at that.

“Mars, you’re going to be the death of me. I’ve got some stuff to do.”

“That’s it?”

“Oh, we’re not even close to through,” he promises her. “But I’ve reached my limit for the evening.”

“You arrogant-“

“Much love and kisses from this end,” he interrupts her and hangs up.

She throws her phone onto her bed in frustration.

It rings again and stops her inner tirade.

“Logan, you’re insufferable!” she yells into the phone without even looking at who it is.

“I know he is, but I’m not,” Mac informs her calmly.

“Sorry, Mac,” Veronica says, closing her eyes. “Just a little couples glitch.”

“You two are practically glitch city,” Mac says. “Should I be worried?”

“I don’t think so. I don’t know. I’ll keep you posted.”

“Want something else on your shoulders?”

Her eyes widen.

“Hit me.”

“I’m worried about Willow.”

“Join the club.”

“Well, we’ve been talking a lot since you got there about magic and stuff cause she’s still my sponsor in some groups. And everything she says recently is really negative and super pro-magic.”

“She’s always been pro-magic,” Veronica says.

“But she’s pro-magic she always told me never to touch.”

“Oh.”

“You can see why I do the worrying thing.”

“Yeah, we’ve been doing that too. She tell you about the little forgetting spell she pulled recently?”

“No.”

“For about a half an hour I had no memories and thought I was going out with Xander.”

Mac laughs and Veronica doesn’t blame her but the cause of the laughter is still really serious.

“Will you be careful?” Mac asks.

“Now you sound like Logan.”

“While he’s way too extreme about the way he shows it he does care about you,” Mac tells her.

“I know, I know. But I’m feeling claustrophobic and overwhelmed.”

“I’m sorry. Just let me know how I can help and maybe drive out here sometime.”

“Checking my incredibly busy schedule as we speak,” Veronica says.

“I’m coming day after tomorrow actually. Willow invited me out.”

“Maybe I’ll actually get to see you.”

“Here’s hoping.”

After they hang up Veronica types a quick email to Giles telling him about Mac’s concerns. He’s the only person she knows with enough magical know-how to help her and she’s not bothering Tara with this until she knows more. Hopefully he’ll actually check it.

She doesn’t sleep well that night. In the end she falls asleep and keeps dreaming stressful things. Logan and Willow really together and teaming up to take over Sunnydale with a freeze ray while Buffy jumps off a tower and Aaron breaks out of jail to laugh at her while standing over Lily’s grave.

She doesn’t feel like physical activities when she gets up but she drags herself to the Magic Box and the back room and meets Spike.

“What’s wrong?” she asks immediately when she sees him.

Sleepy she may temporarily be, but detective she eternally is.

“Whole world,” he says gloomily as he motions for her to start stretching.

“Why?” she asks patiently and bites her lip as her body starts to protest.

“Thanks for the tip-off about last night. Went over there, got into a brawl with the boy and he took a swing at me.”

“And then?”

“I swung back.”

“Spike!”

“Didn’t hit him.”

“Good.”

“Hit Buffy.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. And it didn’t hurt.”

“What?” she asks, staring at him and forgetting to get back up from the floor. “But that means…”

“Chip’s fine,” he says. “I tried…it’s fine.”

“Did you try to hurt someone?” she asks cautiously.

“I’m trying here,” he yells at her and she flinches slightly. “I don’t get a shiny soul telling me what to do. I’ve got nothing but bloody love to guide me and that’s varying as the sodding seasons. I’m a vampire. People forget that. I’m bred for blood and darkness and a part of me is always gonna want that. Chip or not.”

“Okay,” she says, recovering herself and standing up. “Okay, I believe you.”

“Sorry, pet,” he says and punches the punching bag.

It flies to the other side of the room and lies there.

“How do you know it still works?”

“Other than the bloody headache I got when I did try to punch the whelp? There’s a bloke hereabouts who’s all into the technology thing. Last year he made himself a robot girlfriend that went wild.”

“Robot girlfriend?”

“Yeah, real realistic too. Future evil scientist in the making.”

“Human?”

Something about that perks her interest and tries to remind her brain of something but it’s not making any connections so far. So she puts it on the back burner.

“And cowardly. Found him and threatened him and his little friends into making sure it worked. Gotta conclude Slayer came back…wrong.”

“This is not good,” Veronica says, getting into position, though she’s really intrigued by what he’s saying.

“Some detect-ing skills you got there, Private Eye,” he tells her, feinting to her left.

“I dizzy myself sometimes,” she answers. “Now…tell me what you’re going to do.”

“Dunno. What should I do? Slayer’s got her friends breathing down her neck. Only just got back with her. Don’t want to set her off.”

“But you can’t keep this from her. She’ll absolutely flip if you do. What if Xander finds out first and tells her?”

“I should’ve killed the whelp years ago,” he mutters.

“There’s that anti-hero I love,” she says, spinning around and hitting air.

“You’re dropping your shoulder, luv,” he tells her.

“You think you could talk to Logan once all your Buffy issues are solved?”

“When she’s dead and so likely will he be? Sure.”

She makes a face.

“He’s worried about me fighting. Can you just talk to him?”

“We’ll see,” he says in a non-committal tone.

Veronica’s sore after their workout. Very sore. And she works a shift for Anya directly after and then goes home and showers before her next class. In the end she’s got two classes to go to and she drags herself to them and then forces herself to write a paper and read three chapters. She flips on the tv to avoid complete brain death and is glad to see that the frozen security guard has been thawed out though the thieves and diamond are still at large.

Tara comes home at that point and Veronica’s glad for any distraction that would keep her mind off of Logan and Spike and Willow and all the problems that she can’t solve by finding a culprit.

“You up for some dinner?” she asks instead.

“I’m meeting Dawn. You wanna come with?”

“Sure. It’s sweet how you get her on Mondays and alternate weekends,” Veronica says, grabbing her purse.

Tara blushes.

“I-I care about her.”

“I think it’s actually sweet,” Veronica assures her and they chat amiably on their way to pick up Dawn.

“Where’s Buffy?” Veronica asks her as she gets in Veronica’s car.

“Patrolling or hopefully Spike-groping.”

“Dawn!” Tara says.

“What? The UST is starting to kill me. Maybe it’ll make her less zombie-like and pay a little bit more attention to m-life.”

Veronica and Tara exchange glances.

“Where do you want to go?” Veronica asks, changing the subject.

They eat at the Espresso Pump and Veronica tries to get herself to relax. It’s more difficult than it has any right to be. But she keeps glancing at her phone and wondering if Logan’s going to call or if she’s supposed to call him and thinking she should just get Mac to place some sort of camera in his dorm room or something. She’s strictly on a non-invasion-of-privacy diet at the moment so she reluctantly nixes that idea. Thoughts of criminal activity lead her brain to other things.

“Dawn, did you tell Buffy about the stolen diamond/frozen guard thing?”

“Yes,” Dawn said. “She got all uppity and said to let her worry about it and she checked out the crime scene and then had the gang researching it all day. Nothing so far.”

“Something about that seems less than supernatural to me,” Veronica says absently.

“Everything’s supernatural here,” Tara says.

“It’s just not right,” Veronica says, but can’t put it any clearer than that.

They finish up dinner and take Dawn home. Willow’s light is on so Tara doesn’t give in to Dawn’s attempt to get them to come inside.

When they get back to the dorm Logan is waiting outside the door.

“At least he’s not breaking in anymore,” she says under her breath, knowing she’s the queen of breaking into places.

“I’ll let you two talk,” Tara says, grabbing a towel and heading for the showers.

“Real subtle,” Logan says, watching her go.

“She’s amazing and you know it.”

“Got sense and everything,” he agrees and then rubs his hand through his hair like he’s not sure what to say.

“Care to come in?” she says and gestures inside.

“Yeah,” he says.

They go inside and she’s just on the verge of offering to get him some water or something casually social like that when he jumps up again.

“You’re agitated,” she observes.

“You’re obvious,” he says, then faces her. “I’m sorry.”

“About?”

“What I said while I didn’t know who I was and the way I’ve been acting since then.”

“Logan…it’s fine. I didn’t know who I was either.”

“Sometimes I don’t think I’ve ever changed,” he says, sitting down next to her. “Some things I don’t want to change, but I don’t want to be the guy that you almost broke up with because of what a jackass he was.”

“You’re always going to be that,” she says, but affectionately, and tugs him back to lie down on the bed.

“You’re a big girl,” he says, “but you take too many risks and I’m literally turning into your dad as I say this.”

“That would be gross,” she says, kissing his cheek. “But thank you.”

“I still think you need to be careful and I still would like a little Logan time scheduled into the Big Supernatural World of Veronica Mars.”

“Believe you me, I’m almost missing Neptune right now,” she says.

He laughs and turns to look at her.

“Really?”

“No vampires. Everything has a paper trail or a time stamp or something I can trace. It’s just being switched at birth and keggers and sneaking into the principal’s office.”

“And the beach,” he whispers, putting his arm under her head.

“Hmmm, I love the beach,” she says, leaning forward to kiss him.

She loves kissing him too. That and other things.

“I’ve gotta go,” he says approximately twenty minutes later.

“Why?” she asks, pulling him closer.

“You got a roommate now and I’ve got an early class,” he says, getting off the bed.

“Spoilsport,” she says.

“I believe the term is self-cockblock,” he says. “We’re not done here, Veronica.”

He means more than just the making out.

“I know,” she says and kisses him goodbye.

She sleeps better that night, though her dreams still consist of bus drivers with diamond jackets driving through freezers and over cliffs.

She and Tara are awakened the next morning by a knocking on the door.

Hastily pulling a robe on, Veronica unlocks the door and opens it to reveal Buffy looking a little worse for wear.

“Come in,” she says.

Tara pulls her toward the bed.

“What’s up, sweetie?”

“Spike was up. All night long,” Buffy says in a hazy voice and now that Veronica looks at her she sees the unmistakable post-coital glow that she herself enjoys on occasion.

She laughs a little and sits Buffy down.

“Nice.”

“More than nice. More than nice,” Buffy says. “Like better than nice. Only…”

“What?” Veronica says, frowning and Tara looks concerned.

“I may have destroyed – we may have destroyed – an entire house.” Buffy pauses and looks at them but they don’t say anything. “See…he told me his chip didn’t work on me anymore, everyone else, but not me, and I may have did a little wigging out.”

“Then…?” Tara prompts.

“Then he gets upset and I get upset and there may have been some hitting and smashing.”

“That’s how you ruined the house?”

“The living room anyway,” Buffy says in a small voice.

“Are you okay?” Veronica asks.

“I don’t know,” Buffy says, seemingly going for casual. “I don’t think he’s going to hurt me. But what does it mean that I can get hurt by him? What am I?”

“Oh, honey, you’re just Buffy,” Tara says, pulling her into a hug.

“But I have to be wrong for the chip to not work,” Buffy says, a few tears starting to fall.

“What did Spike say?”

“I don’t think that occurred to him really,” Buffy says. “He was all pout-y that I got freaked out, thinking it was about him. Then the fighting started and then the…other stuff.”

“You literally roundhouse kicked your way through foreplay right up to the good stuff?” Veronica asks.

Buffy gives her a look.

“This isn’t a dish session about sex, Veronica. This is a major life crisis in the life of one recently dead Buffy Summers.”

“But the sex was…”

“Better than ever,” Buffy says, giving in.

“I’m gonna do some research,” Tara says. “I’ll find out about the chip. Okay?”

“Me too,” Veronica says. “On the non-magic side.”

“You left Spike okay, right?” Tara asks.

Veronica sits up because the thought hadn’t occurred to her.

“Well…yeah. He’s stuck in the house cause of the sun but he’s alive and he’s…satiated.”

“You ran away, didn’t you?” Veronica asks.

“I couldn’t help it. I don’t know why we did that. It was too much too fast and then the whole thing about the chip crashed into my head and I had to pull a runner.”

“I’m glad you came to us,” Veronica says and gives her a hug.

“I’m glad you’re here,” Buffy says softly.

Veronica holds her close and exchanges worried glances with Tara over Buffy’s head and she’s hoping this isn’t the harbinger to something terrible. She doesn’t think this is over yet. Any of it.