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Fic: What Goes Down #6: Springtime For Lovers (Veronica Mars, Lamb/Veronica)
Title: Springtime For Lovers
Fandom: Veronica Mars
Pairing(s): Lamb/Veronica
Word Count: 1655
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Veronica and Lamb attend the Theta Beta Spring in November carnival.
Notes: Sixth in the What Goes Down series. AU from episode 3:2 - My Big Fat Greek Rush Week; general spoilers up to episode 3:9 - Spit & Eggs. Some dialogue from episode 3:7 - Of Vice And Men.
Previously: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
Veronica looked down at the notes in front of her. She had looked deeper into the rape case, starting with Claire, hoping it might lead her somewhere.
It had. And now, Veronica almost wished she hadn't looked into it at all.
When she heard the door to the office open, Veronica looked up, expecting to see her dad. It seemed like she'd barely seen him over the past few days, and she was dying to know about the case he was working on.
When Veronica saw Lamb, she frowned.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
Lamb pretended to take offense. "So, what? You can drop into my office unannounced, but I can't drop into yours?"
"It's my dad's office," Veronica reminded him.
"Which is why I'm here. There was a credit card statement missing from the Kretchmer file. I wanted to make sure I had it before I turn everything over to Jake Kane."
Veronica nodded. "I'll see if my dad's got it in his office," she said.
It didn't take Veronica long to find what she needed. But afterwards, she couldn't quite stop herself rifling through the papers on Keith's desk, looking for a hint about his big case.
She didn't find anything about a case. But she did find something else that caught her attention. She pocketed the itinerary.
And froze as she walked back out. Lamb was bent over her notes, and when she coughed, he looked up.
"Claire Nordhouse faked her rape?" he asked.
Hurrying over to her desk, Veronica gathered up her notes, and glared at Lamb.
"Not big on privacy, are you?" she asked caustically.
"She was faking the rape," he repeated.
Veronica looked away. She didn't say anything for a long moment. "Yes," she admitted finally. In a voice that was barely audible, she added, "it happens."
"Not as often as you'd think." Lamb's voice was quiet, earnest, and Veronica looked up at him. He held her gaze. Neither of them said anything.
When Veronica finally looked away, she knew that something had passed between them. It felt, incredibly, as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
"So what time should I meet you?" Lamb asked after a minute.
Veronica looked at him, puzzled. "Meet me?"
"For the carnival," Lamb said, smiling faintly.
Veronica just shook her head.
-
"You ready to take him?" Lamb asked Sacks, who nodded. Unlocking the cell door, Lamb led the kid out into the main office.
"Veronica," he said, surprised to see her. He walked up to her slowly.
"Who's that?" Veronica asked him, nodding at the kid being propped up by Sacks.
Lamb shrugged. "Don't know. Came in last night, wasted, no ID, looking like he just stumbled in from the beach. Couldn't remember his own name. Wakes up this morning, still can't remember his name. We're taking him down to the hospital now."
"Sunday," Veronica said. "Twelve o'clock."
Lamb looked at her, confused. "What's Sunday?" he asked.
"The Theta Beta carnival." Veronica smiled. "It's on Sunday."
Lamb couldn't help the triumphant smile that crossed his face as she walked away.
-
"Cute dress," Siobhann said, and Veronica looked down at what she was wearing. 'Spring,' was the only outfit directive they had been given, and the sundress had been just about the only thing Veronica owned that seemed to fit.
Lilly had said once that she wasn't a yellow cotton dress. Was she a yellow cotton dress now, Veronica wondered? God, she hoped not.
Siobhann smiled at her as she walked away, and Veronica looked around. She was suddenly glad that Wallace wasn't around; he wouldn't have missed seeing her like this, and he couldn't have missed Lamb, or the fact that all of the Theta Betas now thought they were a couple.
As Lamb walked up to her, dressed simply in slacks and a t-shirt, Veronica surprised herself by smiling.
"Nice carnival," he said.
"Veronica!" Marjorie called out, then, so Veronica simply smiled at him and turned around.
"I've got you on the food stand at three," Marjorie said, and Veronica nodded.
"Sure," she said.
Marjorie smiled. "Thanks, Veronica."
"No problem," Veronica said, and meant it.
Lamb had moved away, but Shania was manning the cotton candy booth, so Veronica went to say hi.
"Want some?" Shania asked, and Veronica smiled.
"Please."
"Hey!" Veronica turned around as she felt a tug on her cotton candy, and saw Lamb smiling back at her. "That's mine," she said, as he pulled off some more and popped it in his mouth.
"It's good to share," was all he said. "Slushie?"
He held out a drink to her, and Veronica took it, returning his smile.
"Going bobbing for apples?" he asked her, raising his eyebrows suggestively, and Veronica shook her head.
"No," she said emphatically.
They wandered around after that, talking to some of the other Theta Betas, and Veronica was pretty sure she shouldn't have been enjoying herself, but she was. She said hello to Karen, who managed to smile at her like she didn't hold a grudge, and shot Lamb a warning glare when he looked like he was about to put his arm around her shoulders.
When Veronica saw Dick lingering beside the pie stand, her smile faded, and she pulled Lamb behind the nearest booth.
"What?" he asked her, and Veronica was thankful that at least he had enough sense to keep his voice down.
"Dick," she said, and when she looked up at Lamb, he was gazing at her heatedly.
"Casablancas," she corrected hastily, and Lamb looked around, surprised.
"He goes here?" he asked, and Veronica nodded.
"Pi Sig," she said, and when she looked up at Lamb again, his expression was serious.
"Do you think he could be involved?" he asked, and Veronica didn't have to ask what he was referring to.
"No," she said. "Dick's ... not exactly a gentleman, but he wouldn't ..." Images sprang into her head, then, of Shelly Pomroy's party, and Veronica shook them off. "No," she repeated.
Lamb simply nodded. He was still looking at her, his eyes searching hers, and at first Veronica thought he was going to ask her another question, but then it finally clicked. She had seen that look before, and she licked her lips nervously, standing still as if frozen. But then the moment passed, and Veronica breathed out, and Lamb still hadn't kissed her.
When Veronica saw Dick moving away, she relaxed, leading Lamb back around to the ring toss booth.
Lamb looked at the booth for a moment, then back at Veronica, and smiled. "Want a teddy bear?" he asked her, already handing over his money.
Four tries later, Lamb still hadn't won her anything, but Veronica was smiling. His frustration was almost endearing, and he looked ready to try again, but Veronica merely shook her head at Laurel, who was standing behind the booth.
And then Veronica's smile widened. "How about we try something you might actually be good at?" she asked, guiding him towards another booth.
Lamb picked up the BB gun, and looked over at her. Veronica had a sudden mental image of Lamb pretending to shoot bad guys by pointing a fake gun at fake targets at a carnival, and laughed. He looked at her quizzically.
After he had shot all the targets on his first try, looking quite pleased with himself, Hallie handed Lamb an oversized stuffed tiger. Veronica wished they'd had a fake Sheriff's badge to pin on him instead.
"Call him Don," Lamb said, as he held the tiger out to her. Veronica felt a moment of panic, but it was no good; it had been named. Don the tiger stared back at her as she took it from Lamb.
Marjorie started over towards her, then, and Veronica nodded, making her way over to the food stand.
As the Theta Beta who had been at the stand before her left, Veronica looked over at Lamb, who was smiling.
"What?" she asked him, cautiously.
"Want me to help keep you company?" he asked, and Veronica rolled her eyes as she realised he was serious. She faltered for a moment, then looked back up at him. He was still smiling.
Veronica handed him a pair of tongs. "Only if you make yourself useful," she said.
-
"Honey, I'm home!"
Veronica came out of her bedroom as her father shut the door behind him. He was smiling, looking happier than she had seen him in a long time, and Veronica felt a twinge of regret. But she had already packed. She carried her bags out into the living room.
"What -" Keith began, but she interrupted him.
"How's the big case?" she asked.
Keith looked wary. "It's fine, it's going good actually."
Veronica nodded. "So that's where you were all weekend? Working on your case?" Direct. Point blank. No wiggle room.
Keith opened his mouth, but then nodded. "Yeah, I told you."
Veronica shook her head, not quite meeting her father's gaze. "Where are you going?" he asked her. "Honey, what's wrong?"
"I'm going to stay with some friends for a while. Just for a few days. I just need some space." She tried a smile, then, but it was half-hearted at best.
As she left, she heard the door swing shut behind her.
-
"Veronica!" Marjorie looked at Veronica, taking in her bags. "What are you doing here?"
Veronica smiled. "I know I'm not really supposed to be," she said, "but can I stay here for a while? Just for a few days, I promise. I'd ask my friends, but they all live on campus and share their dorm rooms, and I just ... I need somewhere to crash for a little while."
Marjorie nodded, and swung the door open behind her. "Yeah, of course, Veronica. Kim left early for her study vacation, you can use her room. It's upstairs, first door on the right."
Veronica smiled at Marjorie. "Thank you," she said.
Next: Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18
Fandom: Veronica Mars
Pairing(s): Lamb/Veronica
Word Count: 1655
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Veronica and Lamb attend the Theta Beta Spring in November carnival.
Notes: Sixth in the What Goes Down series. AU from episode 3:2 - My Big Fat Greek Rush Week; general spoilers up to episode 3:9 - Spit & Eggs. Some dialogue from episode 3:7 - Of Vice And Men.
Previously: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
Veronica looked down at the notes in front of her. She had looked deeper into the rape case, starting with Claire, hoping it might lead her somewhere.
It had. And now, Veronica almost wished she hadn't looked into it at all.
When she heard the door to the office open, Veronica looked up, expecting to see her dad. It seemed like she'd barely seen him over the past few days, and she was dying to know about the case he was working on.
When Veronica saw Lamb, she frowned.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
Lamb pretended to take offense. "So, what? You can drop into my office unannounced, but I can't drop into yours?"
"It's my dad's office," Veronica reminded him.
"Which is why I'm here. There was a credit card statement missing from the Kretchmer file. I wanted to make sure I had it before I turn everything over to Jake Kane."
Veronica nodded. "I'll see if my dad's got it in his office," she said.
It didn't take Veronica long to find what she needed. But afterwards, she couldn't quite stop herself rifling through the papers on Keith's desk, looking for a hint about his big case.
She didn't find anything about a case. But she did find something else that caught her attention. She pocketed the itinerary.
And froze as she walked back out. Lamb was bent over her notes, and when she coughed, he looked up.
"Claire Nordhouse faked her rape?" he asked.
Hurrying over to her desk, Veronica gathered up her notes, and glared at Lamb.
"Not big on privacy, are you?" she asked caustically.
"She was faking the rape," he repeated.
Veronica looked away. She didn't say anything for a long moment. "Yes," she admitted finally. In a voice that was barely audible, she added, "it happens."
"Not as often as you'd think." Lamb's voice was quiet, earnest, and Veronica looked up at him. He held her gaze. Neither of them said anything.
When Veronica finally looked away, she knew that something had passed between them. It felt, incredibly, as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
"So what time should I meet you?" Lamb asked after a minute.
Veronica looked at him, puzzled. "Meet me?"
"For the carnival," Lamb said, smiling faintly.
Veronica just shook her head.
-
"You ready to take him?" Lamb asked Sacks, who nodded. Unlocking the cell door, Lamb led the kid out into the main office.
"Veronica," he said, surprised to see her. He walked up to her slowly.
"Who's that?" Veronica asked him, nodding at the kid being propped up by Sacks.
Lamb shrugged. "Don't know. Came in last night, wasted, no ID, looking like he just stumbled in from the beach. Couldn't remember his own name. Wakes up this morning, still can't remember his name. We're taking him down to the hospital now."
"Sunday," Veronica said. "Twelve o'clock."
Lamb looked at her, confused. "What's Sunday?" he asked.
"The Theta Beta carnival." Veronica smiled. "It's on Sunday."
Lamb couldn't help the triumphant smile that crossed his face as she walked away.
-
"Cute dress," Siobhann said, and Veronica looked down at what she was wearing. 'Spring,' was the only outfit directive they had been given, and the sundress had been just about the only thing Veronica owned that seemed to fit.
Lilly had said once that she wasn't a yellow cotton dress. Was she a yellow cotton dress now, Veronica wondered? God, she hoped not.
Siobhann smiled at her as she walked away, and Veronica looked around. She was suddenly glad that Wallace wasn't around; he wouldn't have missed seeing her like this, and he couldn't have missed Lamb, or the fact that all of the Theta Betas now thought they were a couple.
As Lamb walked up to her, dressed simply in slacks and a t-shirt, Veronica surprised herself by smiling.
"Nice carnival," he said.
"Veronica!" Marjorie called out, then, so Veronica simply smiled at him and turned around.
"I've got you on the food stand at three," Marjorie said, and Veronica nodded.
"Sure," she said.
Marjorie smiled. "Thanks, Veronica."
"No problem," Veronica said, and meant it.
Lamb had moved away, but Shania was manning the cotton candy booth, so Veronica went to say hi.
"Want some?" Shania asked, and Veronica smiled.
"Please."
"Hey!" Veronica turned around as she felt a tug on her cotton candy, and saw Lamb smiling back at her. "That's mine," she said, as he pulled off some more and popped it in his mouth.
"It's good to share," was all he said. "Slushie?"
He held out a drink to her, and Veronica took it, returning his smile.
"Going bobbing for apples?" he asked her, raising his eyebrows suggestively, and Veronica shook her head.
"No," she said emphatically.
They wandered around after that, talking to some of the other Theta Betas, and Veronica was pretty sure she shouldn't have been enjoying herself, but she was. She said hello to Karen, who managed to smile at her like she didn't hold a grudge, and shot Lamb a warning glare when he looked like he was about to put his arm around her shoulders.
When Veronica saw Dick lingering beside the pie stand, her smile faded, and she pulled Lamb behind the nearest booth.
"What?" he asked her, and Veronica was thankful that at least he had enough sense to keep his voice down.
"Dick," she said, and when she looked up at Lamb, he was gazing at her heatedly.
"Casablancas," she corrected hastily, and Lamb looked around, surprised.
"He goes here?" he asked, and Veronica nodded.
"Pi Sig," she said, and when she looked up at Lamb again, his expression was serious.
"Do you think he could be involved?" he asked, and Veronica didn't have to ask what he was referring to.
"No," she said. "Dick's ... not exactly a gentleman, but he wouldn't ..." Images sprang into her head, then, of Shelly Pomroy's party, and Veronica shook them off. "No," she repeated.
Lamb simply nodded. He was still looking at her, his eyes searching hers, and at first Veronica thought he was going to ask her another question, but then it finally clicked. She had seen that look before, and she licked her lips nervously, standing still as if frozen. But then the moment passed, and Veronica breathed out, and Lamb still hadn't kissed her.
When Veronica saw Dick moving away, she relaxed, leading Lamb back around to the ring toss booth.
Lamb looked at the booth for a moment, then back at Veronica, and smiled. "Want a teddy bear?" he asked her, already handing over his money.
Four tries later, Lamb still hadn't won her anything, but Veronica was smiling. His frustration was almost endearing, and he looked ready to try again, but Veronica merely shook her head at Laurel, who was standing behind the booth.
And then Veronica's smile widened. "How about we try something you might actually be good at?" she asked, guiding him towards another booth.
Lamb picked up the BB gun, and looked over at her. Veronica had a sudden mental image of Lamb pretending to shoot bad guys by pointing a fake gun at fake targets at a carnival, and laughed. He looked at her quizzically.
After he had shot all the targets on his first try, looking quite pleased with himself, Hallie handed Lamb an oversized stuffed tiger. Veronica wished they'd had a fake Sheriff's badge to pin on him instead.
"Call him Don," Lamb said, as he held the tiger out to her. Veronica felt a moment of panic, but it was no good; it had been named. Don the tiger stared back at her as she took it from Lamb.
Marjorie started over towards her, then, and Veronica nodded, making her way over to the food stand.
As the Theta Beta who had been at the stand before her left, Veronica looked over at Lamb, who was smiling.
"What?" she asked him, cautiously.
"Want me to help keep you company?" he asked, and Veronica rolled her eyes as she realised he was serious. She faltered for a moment, then looked back up at him. He was still smiling.
Veronica handed him a pair of tongs. "Only if you make yourself useful," she said.
-
"Honey, I'm home!"
Veronica came out of her bedroom as her father shut the door behind him. He was smiling, looking happier than she had seen him in a long time, and Veronica felt a twinge of regret. But she had already packed. She carried her bags out into the living room.
"What -" Keith began, but she interrupted him.
"How's the big case?" she asked.
Keith looked wary. "It's fine, it's going good actually."
Veronica nodded. "So that's where you were all weekend? Working on your case?" Direct. Point blank. No wiggle room.
Keith opened his mouth, but then nodded. "Yeah, I told you."
Veronica shook her head, not quite meeting her father's gaze. "Where are you going?" he asked her. "Honey, what's wrong?"
"I'm going to stay with some friends for a while. Just for a few days. I just need some space." She tried a smile, then, but it was half-hearted at best.
As she left, she heard the door swing shut behind her.
-
"Veronica!" Marjorie looked at Veronica, taking in her bags. "What are you doing here?"
Veronica smiled. "I know I'm not really supposed to be," she said, "but can I stay here for a while? Just for a few days, I promise. I'd ask my friends, but they all live on campus and share their dorm rooms, and I just ... I need somewhere to crash for a little while."
Marjorie nodded, and swung the door open behind her. "Yeah, of course, Veronica. Kim left early for her study vacation, you can use her room. It's upstairs, first door on the right."
Veronica smiled at Marjorie. "Thank you," she said.
Next: Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18