The Perk [Tuesday Afternoon]

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

Between college graduation and finally making a decision about what career path to take, Veronica hadn't had the time to make a visit to Fandom or really even talk to anyone.

Today was a rare free day with nothing on her schedule, so she called up Chris and got a lift to the island. She left messages for a few folks to let them know she was around if they wanted to grab a cup of coffee and settled in to a table at the Perk.



[if you think she would have called you, she did. open to all or for your own Perk needs! eta: slow play warnings in effect.]

Comments

[nomoreveruca.livejournal.com]

Cally arrived not too long after she'd gotten the message, Nicky squirming in her arms. He was getting to be a real handful.

"Hey you," she greeted Veronica, as she gently tried to get Nicky to settle down.

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

Veronica was so grateful to see Cally after all this time that she stood and walked over to give her a careful hug, patting Nicky on the head.

"It is so good to see you," she said. "Sorry I haven't gotten here before now to visit. I graduated from college a couple of weeks ago."

[nomoreveruca.livejournal.com]

Cally gave her friend a rueful smile. "Sure, rub it in why don't you," she said. "It's really good to see you, too. It's been some pretty insane years since high school."

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

"So I gathered," Veronica said, giving Nicky a pointed look. "Sit down. Let me get you some coffee or something."

[nomoreveruca.livejournal.com]

"Coffee, please," Cally said. "You have no idea what terrible stuff I was stuck drinking since the war started. The last few weeks have been like... culinary heaven."

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

The mention of the war made Veronica frown. "I'll be right back," she said, heading over to the counter to order another coffee for herself and one for Cally. Of course she ordered the largest size available.

"Okay, so," she said, taking her seat again and putting the coffee on the table. "Fill me in on what I missed that you didn't tell me on the phone."

[nomoreveruca.livejournal.com]

"You probably don't want to know it all," Cally said. She fetched a treat from a pocket so that Nicky would have something to occupy himself while they talked. "The short version is a war, pregnancy, marrying someone other than the father, and then finding out he was part of the enemy."

She sighed, it sounded so ridiculous, so simplistic. Trying to boil down three years of hell (four if you included before the war, but that wasn't so bad) into an easily expressed recap for her friends.

The truth was, they'd never really understand, and she'd never be able to express it all so they could. And slowly, Cally was becoming okay with that. Slowly.

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

Veronica nodded. "So you left when you found out he was with the enemy?" she asked.

She had about a million other questions that she wanted to ask. And three years ago, she probably would have. But she sensed that Cally didn't want to talk about the details and she had grown up enough to realize that there were times she shouldn't push.

[nomoreveruca.livejournal.com]

"I grabbed Nicky and got as far away as I could," Cally said. "I'm amazed I was even able to get a portal. If I hadn't, I don't know what I would have done."

She was pensive a moment. It was a dark thing, an experience she hated completely. But it was what brought her here.

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

"I'm really glad that you were able to find your way back here," Veronica said, biting her bottom lip and trying to not think about what might have happened to Cally and Nicky if she hadn't gotten the portal. "Are you settling in okay?"

[nomoreveruca.livejournal.com]

Cally brightened, slowly. A smile crept up across her face. "I have a job, a home, and I get to breathe fresh air every day. It's a gods-send."

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

Veronica smiled back. "Those are all good things to have. Piper told me that you and Nicky were staying with Paige. Uh, one I haven't actually met yet."

[nomoreveruca.livejournal.com]

Cally chuckled. "She's nice," she said. "I honestly don't remember too much about the Paiges I knew, but she's a good person. She helped me in a tight spot."

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

"It's the Halliwell way," Veronica said. "Is there anything that you or Nicky need?"

She didn't mind abusing Dick's credit cards to help a friend.

[nomoreveruca.livejournal.com]

"Not that I can think of right now," Cally said. "But thanks. I'm trying to avoid any major acts of charity. Kind of like my independence."

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

"I completely understand the independence thing," Veronica agreed.

After all, that's why she was getting a job and still maintained a separate bank account.

"But it's not charity to let your friends do nice things for you either."

[nomoreveruca.livejournal.com]

"Which is why I didn't object to you buying coffee," Cally said. Nicky, however, was starting to fuss, and actually started crying.

"Oh, come on, be a good boy," she said, pulling out his pacifier. "Sorry, he's just not liking being held for so long."

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

"Can I hold him?" Veronica asked.

[nomoreveruca.livejournal.com]

"You hold him too long, I'll charge a rental fee," Cally said. "He's oddly good with strangers."

She moved to hand over Nicky.

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

Veronica was not the best with babies but she took Nicky and settled him on her lap, smiling at him.

"He's adorable, Cally. Looks a lot like his mommy."

[nomoreveruca.livejournal.com]

"Really?" Cally said. "I always thought he looked more like his dad. Hopefully he has my brains, though."

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

"He totally will," Veronica said, bouncing her knee a little.

[nomoreveruca.livejournal.com]

Cally smiled, Nicky seemed to be enjoying himself. "Is it wrong I plan on completely avoiding the question if he ever asks about his dad?"

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

Veronica shook her head. "No, I don't think so. Some people are not cut out to be parents."

Like, say, her mother.

[nomoreveruca.livejournal.com]

"I sure never planned this," Cally said. "But Nicky is the bright point of a long, dark time."

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

"Good. I'm glad that something positive came out of what you went through," Veronica told her.

[gunandcoffee.livejournal.com]

Reese entered the coffee shop and smiled. "Veronica Mars. Its good to see you again."

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

"Dani Reese," Veronica said, smiling back. "The feeling is mutual. It's been too damn long. What've you been up to?"

[gunandcoffee.livejournal.com]

"Shuffling papers and drinkin' coffee," Reese grabbed the chair next to Veronica. "And shooting the occasional monkeypony. You?"

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

The monkeypony thing made Veronica tilt her head in confusion but she figured it was a Fandom thing.

"Nothing major," she joked. "Just graduating from college and deciding what to do with the rest of my life."

[gunandcoffee.livejournal.com]

"Right, nothin' major," she said, playing along. "After all, it's just the rest of your life."

Reese frowned for a bit, "Didn't you say you were choosing between CIA or the FBI?"

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

Veronica nodded. "Yeah. I ended up going with the FBI. Decided I'd rather focus on the national front instead of the international one."

[gunandcoffee.livejournal.com]

"That's great, I got a friend in the FBI. Although, I don't know if he's there in your side of the universe." She can say these things now with a straight face. "When are you gonna start training?"

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

"Not until September," Veronica said. "I could have started this month, but it would have been a few days after graduation and I decided I wanted a little break."

[gunandcoffee.livejournal.com]

"Teachin' here again?" Reese asked.

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

Veronica chuckled. "Nah. That wouldn't be very relaxing. I just stopped by today to catch up with an old friend who is back on the island. I think Dick and I may finally take a honeymoon trip or something."

Only ten months late.

[gunandcoffee.livejournal.com]

"You're just takin' that now?" Reese stood up briefly to get her coffee. "Where you guys planning on taking it?"

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

"Well, we haven't done anything else in the right order or timeframe, so why would we start now?" Veronica grinned. "I'm not sure yet. We're still kicking ideas around."

[gunandcoffee.livejournal.com]

"Somewhere in the Bahamas?" Reese suggested. "Heard that's always a great place to go."

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

"Mmm, maybe," Veronica said with a nod. "I was leaning towards Hawaii though."

[gunandcoffee.livejournal.com]

"Hawaii's good too." Reese agreed with a nod. "Aside from visitin' your friend, will you be here long?"

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

"No, I'm just here for a few hours. The benefits of having friends who can teleport," Veronica said.