This fanfiction is written by Bren99 on FanFiction.net
Veronica has been sitting at a hospital in Seattle for three days now, listening to doctors explain brain swelling, comas, internal bleeding, and other things that she just doesn't know how to deal with. Her mother put three teenagers in the hospital during a drunken ride to the liquor store, and from what the doctors have explained, Lianne Mars is just lucky to be alive.
She thinks it's sad that this is the first time she's actually seen her mother in years. Her mother needs her now even though she doesn't know it, and Veronica isn't one to walk away from the people she loves. She gets that from her father, because she knows it didn't come from the woman in the hospital bed.
"Dr. Stevens said you were mean to her again."
She looks up from her bland cup of coffee to see Dr. Karev staring down at her with a smirk.
"She wanted to talk about my feelings," Veronica replies with a shrug.
Veronica has already become acquainted with half the doctors as Seattle Grace. She's learned a lot about these doctors over the last few days. Most of them are needy, and they're all surprisingly more screwed up than she is. She's heard them talking in the halls, and she's quickly learning all of their stories. Each one of them has issues they need to address, but none of them seems interested in fixing their problems. Most of them look at her like she's a child too young to understand. She thinks if they knew half of what she'd been through, they'd keep their annoying glares to themselves.
"Did you tell her to mind her own business?"
"Something like that," Veronica smiles. "She's a bit needy, isn't she?"
"She's just Izzie."
Dr. Alex Karev is a man of few words, she's learned. He's also way to arrogant for his own good. Still, out of the doctors she's met so far she seems to tolerate him the most, maybe because at times he reminds her of Logan. Other times, he just reminds her of herself. She knows he dated Dr. Stevens for a time, and she's heard something about a fling with another doctor that used to work at Seattle Grace. There's some huge secret about a patient he apparently dated for a time as well, but Veronica hasn't had time to search out the mystery, not when her mother is hanging on by a thread.
"Your mom is stable now," he speaks, staring down at her again. "That's a good sign."
"Coming out of her coma would be a better sign," she answers back.
"Yeah, I guess it would."
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"Wallace, I'm good, really," she speaks to her best friend at the end of day three. Her phone calls with Wallace are the bright spot of her days. Of course, truth be told, Wallace has been the bright spot of her days since she cut him down from the flagpole the first time they met.
"C'mon Mars, if you need me to come out there, I'll be on a plane in the morning."
She doesn't want to tell Wallace that she actually does need him. The last thing she wants is for her best friend to drop everything to fly out to be with her. She knows he'd do it, but her mother is her responsibility and she doesn't want Wallace to be burdened with her problems.
Things have changed for both her and Wallace lately. Her father and his mother got back together during the summer after her freshman year of college. They dated her whole sophomore year as they planned a very romantic summer wedding. She frowns as she stares at the doors of Seattle Grace. She doesn't want to go back in, not when she feels close to home with Wallace on the other end of the phone.
She sighs into her phone. "I can handle things. Have you talked to your mom today? I'm so jealous that she and dad are honeymooning in Hawaii right now."
"Veronica, you need to tell your dad," Wallace speaks, his tone worried. "You can't keep lying to him. The weekend is going to end and he's going to expect you to be here."
"He just married your mom. He doesn't need this on him right now."
"And you shouldn't be handling it alone."
"I've got it covered," she frowns. "Listen I should go, I'll check in tomorrow, okay?"
"Yeah. Hey, have you heard from Logan?" Wallace speaks quickly and Veronica can't stop the groan that escapes her mouth.
"He's in Italy," she answers back. "It doesn't matter, we're over."
"Right, like that ever sticks," Wallace laughs into the phone. "Call him, tell him what's going on."
"I know I said we're doing that whole friends thing now, but I'm not telling him about this…"
"Because you know that like me, and Mac, and yes, even Piz, he'd drop everything to come be there with you."
"As loved as that makes me feel, it's not happening. I can handle this, really."
"Girl, if you need me…." Wallace's voice trails off.
"I'm okay Wallace, really."
"You sure about that?"
"Yeah, hey I'll call you tomorrow. I need to go talk to a doctor about something. See you later, bro!" She speaks with a forced laugh as she clicks off her phone and forces herself to face the hospital once more.
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"She just seems so indifferent."
"And mean, you forgot mean, Mer."
"Didn't her mom run out on her or something? I'm surprised she's even here."
Normally Alex wouldn't care what the girls were talking about, but for some reason he can't ignore Izzie, Meredith, and Cristina's conversation today. He realizes that Veronica Mars is just the daughter of a patient, but still, the mere fact that she has Izzie terrified of her, and keeps Meredith on her toes, makes her somewhat interesting.
He knows she was involved in a big murder case in California a few years back, mostly because Izzie has watched all the Lifetime movies. From what he's heard, Veronica Mars is some kind of miniature private eye who works with her father.
"She has a thing for rich guys," Izzie blurts out. "I saw it on one of those movies. Except they used the name Victoria, but seriously, she's all about the money."
"You do realize you can't believe those movies," Cristina grumbles.
"I googled her name Cristina, she's dated the sons of several millionaires back in California. She dated Aaron Echolls son, and that software guy, Jake Kane? She dated his son, too."
"That doesn't make her evil," Cristina snorts.
"She's just not nice. She's always scowling, and she's so sarcastic!" Izzie frowns.
"She's not that bad," Alex speaks, not bothering to look up from the paper he's reading. "She's a little brass, but once you get past that…"
"She's twelve Karev," Cristina warns looking over at him. "You seriously wouldn't go there would you?"
"She's not twelve," he rebukes quickly. "I just said she's not as scary as Izzie makes her out to be."
"Oh, she's scary," Izzie speaks, nodding with force. "Trust me, the girl is scary."
"You're such a wimp, Stevens," Alex scoffs.
"Shut up, Alex."
"Whatever."
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She's sitting on a bench outside the hospital on day four when Alex walks out and stares at her again. He does this a lot she notes, stares before he speaks. She's holding another cup of weak coffee and he's just looking at her with an expression she finds hard to read.
She thinks the guy has been hurt somehow. There's times when she walks by him, and he almost looks wounded. Still, he keeps up the front of a man that just doesn't care. She's knows the façade well, because the mask he wears often reminds her of her own. Now however, he's blank, just staring at her with his arms crossed and she doesn't know what she's suppose to say.
"The coffee here sucks," he speaks bluntly.
"Yeah, I've noticed."
"There's a coffee shop around the corner, if you ever get tired of it."
"And give up the taste of this fabulous brew?" She asks, sticking the coffee cup out in front of her.
"Just thought I'd let you know."
"Thanks for the heads up," she nods.
He doesn't walk away, but he doesn't speak again either. He just sort of looks at her, and she's not really sure what to make of him.
"Those kids my mother hit, are they going to be okay?"
He looks at her with dark eyes and she knows she isn't going to like his answer. "They're watching the driver closely," he speaks in a low gruff voice. "Maybe you should call some family, No need going at it alone."
"She's my responsibility," she shrugs. "I can handle it."
"Yeah, sure. Whatever."
"I can."
"It's your call."
"Yeah, it is."
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Alex finds her sitting alone in the coffee shop he suggested the next night. He's really not sure why he's even here, but for some reason he ended up here instead of the bar. He orders his coffee, black with a hint of sugar, and watches as she sips whatever it is she's drinking at a booth towards the back.
She looks up and sees him, and he throws up a half wave. She just looks at him blankly and waves back, an almost non-wave really. Alex knows he should turn around and leave, because this girl, and she really is Ijust a girl/i, can only mean trouble for him. After Ava he promised himself he'd stay away from anyone that walked through the hospital doors. Still, his feet overrule him and before he can stop himself he's heading toward her booth.
"Dr. Karev, I thought you'd be heading to the bar with the rest of Seattle Grace's finest," she speaks, sipping what appears to be some sort of latte.
"I'm not one to follow the crowd," he shrugs.
"Yeah, me neither."
"Is that why you're here alone?" he asks. "I've heard you on the phone with several people. Why are you doing this to yourself?"
"I'm sorry, when exactly did I give you permission to listen in on my phone calls," she asks with narrow eyes.
"Forget it," he frowns as he turns to go.
"She's my mother, my responsibility," she speaks up, stopping him in his tracks.
He nods his head and slides into the seat across from her. He understands her reasoning all too well. He's been in her shoes before, the kid trying to take care of the parent. The kid with the father that loved his booze more than him. Most recently, he was the guy trying to take care of the woman he loved, even though her illness was too much for him to handle alone. Alex flinches at the though of Ava, and then stares back over at Veronica Mars. He knows this girl isn't as tough as she wants people to think. He can see it in her eyes when she asks questions about her mother's health. Deep down she's just a little girl, trying to take care of a mother that left her long ago.
He's going to regret this later. Somehow, he just knows that talking to this girl is going to be a mistake. He hasn't asked how old she is yet, but he assumes she's at least eighteen. Still, he shouldn't be sitting in a coffee shop with her. He doesn't do the whole get to know your patients thing often, so this, this can only turn out bad for him.
"You've got a dad, right? I've heard you on the phone with him."
"He's on his honeymoon. He married an amazing woman, and I'm not going to ruin this for him," she speaks, taking another sip of her drink. "He doesn't owe my mother anything," she adds, and Alex can hear a tinge of anger in her voice.
"Because she left?" Alex asks, staring over at her. He knows it's none of his business, but he really doesn't care. He's curious to find out the real story about this girl from California who seems determined to do everything on her own.
"Did I say she left?" Veronica bites out.
"No, but apparently it made the Lifetime movie," he speaks as her eyes widen slightly. He fights back a smirk as realization hits her face and her eyes lock with his. There is a fire mixed with the sapphire staring back at him, and he knows this is a girl who doesn't back down from a fight.
"Funny, I never took you for the Lifetime kind of guy," she answers back, narrowing her eyes at him.
"People talk."
"And you listen?" She asks. "I guess I overestimated you, Dr. Karev."
"When'd she leave?" He asks, watching as she fidgets slightly in her seat.
"That's none of your business. What else did these ipeople/i who talk say?" She quizzes, narrowing her eyes at him.
"You're a mini Nancy Drew that has a thing for rich guys," he states bluntly.
"You must have caught the Celeste Kane version of my life," she groans. "You really should check out that particular film. There's actually a scene where I try on one of her dresses and dance around her bedroom in it."
Alex bites back a smile because there is a part of him that believes what this girl says is true. She doesn't strike him as the type of girl that seeks out the rich. He thinks her issues are much different from that. It's obvious to him that something in her life hardened her, but he's not sure if it's one event or several.
"Just reporting what I heard," Alex shrugs.
"Should I guess who you heard that from?" Veronica asks, staring down at her coffee. "I'm going with a blonde doctor. You know, the one that seems almost scared of me?"
"When'd she leave?"
"When I needed her the most," she snaps bitterly. "Now is it time for me to question you on your personal life, or should we call it a night? Because I'd really love to know what you Iever/I saw in Izzie Stevens, and why the younger Dr. Grey turns into a nervous mess around you," she adds with a tiny smirk.
"How'd you…."
She just laughs before he can finish his question and shrugs her shoulders, "It's what I do."
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Her father shows up on day five, frustrated and hurt at the same time. He tells her that Wallace finally broke down and told him what happened. She watches him with her mother, just staring at the woman he loved for so many years.
"You should have called me Veronica," he whispers, looking at Lianne. "I should have been here."
"You were on your honeymoon, dad," she speaks. "It took you and Alicia so long to get back together, and I just didn't want to mess things up."
"She's your mother, she was my wife," he answers back sternly, turning to her. "I needed to be here. You needed me here," he frowns.
"When she comes out of the coma, when she's better," Veronica swallows, "she's going to jail."
"Veronica…"
"The driver isn't improving. They keep watching and waiting, but he's not getting better," she adds. "If mom actually gets better…."
Her father doesn't wait for her to finish, he just wraps his arms around her and holds her tight. For the first time since she heard the news, Veronica finally cries. She breaks down in her dad's arms and she cries at the thought of losing her mother forever.
"We'll get through this Veronica," Keith promises as he holds her closely. For the first time in days she finally feels safe. She's not alone anymore, she doesn't have to be alone anymore, and just the realization of that makes her believe that somehow, things will be okay.
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"I don't just date rich guys."
She comes out of nowhere one day and speaks these words to Alex. He has his back turned to her but instantly turns around at the sound of her voice.
"Is that your way of asking me out?" He asks bluntly.
"You really do love yourself don't you?" She speaks with a tiny huff. "I'm just saying, that's not who I am."
"But you are a mini Nancy Drew?" He smirks.
"Nancy Drew was weak compared to me," she boasts with a half smile. "I mean really, she wasn't really all that impressive."
They're standing in the middle of the hallway, and he can't help but smirk a little as Cristina walks by and rolls her eyes at him. "Should I be impressed?"
Veronica shrugs her shoulders at him. "If you could get over your own ego, you would be," she answers back with a tiny smile.
"Are you trying to insult me? Because that's actually more of a compliment really," he smirks.
"I have to go," she speaks, shrugging her shoulders at him. "I'm craving decent food for a change."
"What did you have in mind?" He asks, and he's honestly not sure why. His brain keeps telling him to stay away from this girl. He's suppose to see her as a kid, but he doesn't. She's far to mature to be just some average college student.
"Is that iyour/i way of asking me out?" She grins back at him.
"No, it was my way of saying maybe I could suggest a decent place," he answers in response.
"Oh."
Her face falls slightly and he has to bite back a laugh. For the first time in days, her youth shows as she lowers her head for a moment before looking back up at him with a forced smile.
"But since you're so set on me eating with you, there's this pizza place not far from here…."
"Doesn't that go against some sort of patient-doctor thing?" She asks with curious eyes.
"You're not a patient," he speaks. "Look, I'm hungry, your hungry, and we're both sick of this place," he explains with a sigh. "I figured, we might as well eat together."
"Well since you put it like that, how can I resist," she speaks dryly.
As they walk out of the hospital, Cristina walks by them again. This time Alex smirks when she mouths the word 'twelve' to him. He's going to be the talk of the hospital again soon, but really, when has he ever cared.
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Alex hears Veronica and her father talking one night as he's opening the door to the room. It's not as if he means to listen at first, but Veronica's tone is different, and he really just can't help himself.
"It's weird, you know?" She speaks to her father as she walks over to the bed.
"What's that, sweetheart?"
"She ran out on us, but now that she needs help, we're here."
"That's not weird, Veronica. That's who we are."
"No. The weird part is, she's really not here this time, either," she whispers. "She's here, but she's not, you know?"
Alex has never heard her sound so helpless. He watches as her father wraps a comforting arm around her and kisses the top of her head. There is something about their relationship that he finds unique. Maybe it's because it seems so real, and most of the people he knows don't have that with their parents.
"It's going to be okay, Veronica. We'll get through this."
"Of course we will," she says weakly. "We always do."
"She can still come out of this. You've heard the doctors. Your mom can do this."
"Yeah. And when she does, she'll stop drinking and come home, braid my hair, check my homework and cook me breakfast before I go to school," she rattles off with a sad smile. "It's okay, dad. I gave up on having the picture perfect mother a long time ago."
Alex frowns as he leans against the doorway. He's never seen this side of Veronica Mars before, the real person behind the smiles and the sarcastic banter. She seems so bare with her father, and he realizes there is so much more going on inside of Veronica Mars.
"It's not fair to you, Veronica."
Alex watches in wonderment as Veronica stares up at her father with a smile. "I've got the best father in the world. What more could a girl ask for?" she asks. It's obvious from the sound of her voice that she means every word.
"Lianne is going to be okay. Veronica. She is."
Veronica drops her head and Alex sees her move her hand to wipe her eyes. "You can't make that promise," she whispers to her father. "What if she doesn't make it?"
"Then I'll be right here, sweetheart. We'll get through it together. That's a promise I can make."
Alex backs away from the door when he sees her father hug her. Somehow, it just seems too private to watch any longer. He walks away feeling strange, his mind almost heavy. Veronica Mars is a very complex girl, he thinks to himself. Yeah, very, very complex indeed.
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"It's a dangerous road you're going down Karev. Veronica Mars is young. She's very, very young."
He knows the second he sits down with Yang, George and Meredith that it's a mistake. Meredith starts her mini lecture before he gets his tray on the table and doesn't stop even when he narrows his eyes at her.
"It's none of your business, Grey."
"So, you've really been hanging out with Coma Patient's daughter?" George asks. "She looks kind of young."
"She's twelve." Cristina grins.
"She's not twelve," Alex grunts, throwing a glare at Cristina.
"Is she even out of her teens?" George asks, causing Alex to once again narrow his eyes and Cristina to snicker. George drops his head and unlike Meredith, he knows when to shut up.
"Still, as someone who is an expert at making wrong decisions, I can tell you, this is a bad decision," Meredith frowns.
"Then maybe I'm trying to be more like you," he mutters.
"Wait, so something really is going on there?" George asks wide-eyed.
"No, and again, it's none of your business."
"Logically, it can only end badly," Cristina speaks with a shrug.
"You know, you people are way more screwed up than me. So do me a favor and stay out of it."
As he storms off he hears Yang ask, "What's his problem?" Seriously, do these people even have to ask?
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"The guy mom hit is taking a turn for the worse. You know what that means, right? Seriously, could my life be anymore awesome?"
"I'm coming out there, V," Wallace states. "Mom's back and I don't have to watch my brother. Let me come out there."
'Wallace, I'm okay. Dad's here, don't worry."
"You're the B to my FF, of course I'm worried," his voice sings out. "Mom said Keith was coming in for the weekend to catch up on some work. I can be there before he leaves."
"There's nothing you can do here. Alex says she's showing small improvements, but it's all still up in the air."
"Alex?"
She frowns at her slip of the tongue. "Dr. Karev. He's one of the doctors here."
"A doctor you refer to by his first name?"
She starts to speak just as Alex turns to corner. His eyes meet hers and he smirks slightly as he crosses his arms and leans against the wall.
"I'll call you later tonight, Wallace," she speaks in a hushed tone.
"Wait! What about this doctor?" Her best friend presses as she hangs up the phone with a groan.
"I need a drink. You want in?" He questions as she sticks her phone back in her pocket.
"I'm not much of a drinker," she admits with a frown.
"Really? Because right now, you look like you could use a few."
"You really know how to charm a girl, Karev."
"You should be impressed with my honesty. So are you in or what?"
"I…." She stalls as she looks back at her mother's room.
"Look, you can come watch me drink, make yourself feel designated or something," he sighs, running his hand through his hair. "The thing is, if you stay here long enough, staring at the same walls, you're going to go nuts. That won't help anyone, so just take a break. I'll spring for some fruity virgin something if you want," he adds, as he stares down once more.
It's a fine line they've been walking, she thinks, as she stands to her feet. She doesn't know what she's doing with Alex really, but at this point she doesn't care. He's been the only thing keeping her sane since she showed up at Seattle Grace and that in itself is enough.
"Thank you," she forces out hoarsely.
"Don't go all girl on me, Mars. I expect more from you."
She gives him a knowing smile as they leave together. If this is the only thing in her life that currently makes sense, she knows her life is far more screwed up than she had realized before.
Veronica has been sitting at a hospital in Seattle for three days now, listening to doctors explain brain swelling, comas, internal bleeding, and other things that she just doesn't know how to deal with. Her mother put three teenagers in the hospital during a drunken ride to the liquor store, and from what the doctors have explained, Lianne Mars is just lucky to be alive.
She thinks it's sad that this is the first time she's actually seen her mother in years. Her mother needs her now even though she doesn't know it, and Veronica isn't one to walk away from the people she loves. She gets that from her father, because she knows it didn't come from the woman in the hospital bed.
"Dr. Stevens said you were mean to her again."
She looks up from her bland cup of coffee to see Dr. Karev staring down at her with a smirk.
"She wanted to talk about my feelings," Veronica replies with a shrug.
Veronica has already become acquainted with half the doctors as Seattle Grace. She's learned a lot about these doctors over the last few days. Most of them are needy, and they're all surprisingly more screwed up than she is. She's heard them talking in the halls, and she's quickly learning all of their stories. Each one of them has issues they need to address, but none of them seems interested in fixing their problems. Most of them look at her like she's a child too young to understand. She thinks if they knew half of what she'd been through, they'd keep their annoying glares to themselves.
"Did you tell her to mind her own business?"
"Something like that," Veronica smiles. "She's a bit needy, isn't she?"
"She's just Izzie."
Dr. Alex Karev is a man of few words, she's learned. He's also way to arrogant for his own good. Still, out of the doctors she's met so far she seems to tolerate him the most, maybe because at times he reminds her of Logan. Other times, he just reminds her of herself. She knows he dated Dr. Stevens for a time, and she's heard something about a fling with another doctor that used to work at Seattle Grace. There's some huge secret about a patient he apparently dated for a time as well, but Veronica hasn't had time to search out the mystery, not when her mother is hanging on by a thread.
"Your mom is stable now," he speaks, staring down at her again. "That's a good sign."
"Coming out of her coma would be a better sign," she answers back.
"Yeah, I guess it would."
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"Wallace, I'm good, really," she speaks to her best friend at the end of day three. Her phone calls with Wallace are the bright spot of her days. Of course, truth be told, Wallace has been the bright spot of her days since she cut him down from the flagpole the first time they met.
"C'mon Mars, if you need me to come out there, I'll be on a plane in the morning."
She doesn't want to tell Wallace that she actually does need him. The last thing she wants is for her best friend to drop everything to fly out to be with her. She knows he'd do it, but her mother is her responsibility and she doesn't want Wallace to be burdened with her problems.
Things have changed for both her and Wallace lately. Her father and his mother got back together during the summer after her freshman year of college. They dated her whole sophomore year as they planned a very romantic summer wedding. She frowns as she stares at the doors of Seattle Grace. She doesn't want to go back in, not when she feels close to home with Wallace on the other end of the phone.
She sighs into her phone. "I can handle things. Have you talked to your mom today? I'm so jealous that she and dad are honeymooning in Hawaii right now."
"Veronica, you need to tell your dad," Wallace speaks, his tone worried. "You can't keep lying to him. The weekend is going to end and he's going to expect you to be here."
"He just married your mom. He doesn't need this on him right now."
"And you shouldn't be handling it alone."
"I've got it covered," she frowns. "Listen I should go, I'll check in tomorrow, okay?"
"Yeah. Hey, have you heard from Logan?" Wallace speaks quickly and Veronica can't stop the groan that escapes her mouth.
"He's in Italy," she answers back. "It doesn't matter, we're over."
"Right, like that ever sticks," Wallace laughs into the phone. "Call him, tell him what's going on."
"I know I said we're doing that whole friends thing now, but I'm not telling him about this…"
"Because you know that like me, and Mac, and yes, even Piz, he'd drop everything to come be there with you."
"As loved as that makes me feel, it's not happening. I can handle this, really."
"Girl, if you need me…." Wallace's voice trails off.
"I'm okay Wallace, really."
"You sure about that?"
"Yeah, hey I'll call you tomorrow. I need to go talk to a doctor about something. See you later, bro!" She speaks with a forced laugh as she clicks off her phone and forces herself to face the hospital once more.
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"She just seems so indifferent."
"And mean, you forgot mean, Mer."
"Didn't her mom run out on her or something? I'm surprised she's even here."
Normally Alex wouldn't care what the girls were talking about, but for some reason he can't ignore Izzie, Meredith, and Cristina's conversation today. He realizes that Veronica Mars is just the daughter of a patient, but still, the mere fact that she has Izzie terrified of her, and keeps Meredith on her toes, makes her somewhat interesting.
He knows she was involved in a big murder case in California a few years back, mostly because Izzie has watched all the Lifetime movies. From what he's heard, Veronica Mars is some kind of miniature private eye who works with her father.
"She has a thing for rich guys," Izzie blurts out. "I saw it on one of those movies. Except they used the name Victoria, but seriously, she's all about the money."
"You do realize you can't believe those movies," Cristina grumbles.
"I googled her name Cristina, she's dated the sons of several millionaires back in California. She dated Aaron Echolls son, and that software guy, Jake Kane? She dated his son, too."
"That doesn't make her evil," Cristina snorts.
"She's just not nice. She's always scowling, and she's so sarcastic!" Izzie frowns.
"She's not that bad," Alex speaks, not bothering to look up from the paper he's reading. "She's a little brass, but once you get past that…"
"She's twelve Karev," Cristina warns looking over at him. "You seriously wouldn't go there would you?"
"She's not twelve," he rebukes quickly. "I just said she's not as scary as Izzie makes her out to be."
"Oh, she's scary," Izzie speaks, nodding with force. "Trust me, the girl is scary."
"You're such a wimp, Stevens," Alex scoffs.
"Shut up, Alex."
"Whatever."
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She's sitting on a bench outside the hospital on day four when Alex walks out and stares at her again. He does this a lot she notes, stares before he speaks. She's holding another cup of weak coffee and he's just looking at her with an expression she finds hard to read.
She thinks the guy has been hurt somehow. There's times when she walks by him, and he almost looks wounded. Still, he keeps up the front of a man that just doesn't care. She's knows the façade well, because the mask he wears often reminds her of her own. Now however, he's blank, just staring at her with his arms crossed and she doesn't know what she's suppose to say.
"The coffee here sucks," he speaks bluntly.
"Yeah, I've noticed."
"There's a coffee shop around the corner, if you ever get tired of it."
"And give up the taste of this fabulous brew?" She asks, sticking the coffee cup out in front of her.
"Just thought I'd let you know."
"Thanks for the heads up," she nods.
He doesn't walk away, but he doesn't speak again either. He just sort of looks at her, and she's not really sure what to make of him.
"Those kids my mother hit, are they going to be okay?"
He looks at her with dark eyes and she knows she isn't going to like his answer. "They're watching the driver closely," he speaks in a low gruff voice. "Maybe you should call some family, No need going at it alone."
"She's my responsibility," she shrugs. "I can handle it."
"Yeah, sure. Whatever."
"I can."
"It's your call."
"Yeah, it is."
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Alex finds her sitting alone in the coffee shop he suggested the next night. He's really not sure why he's even here, but for some reason he ended up here instead of the bar. He orders his coffee, black with a hint of sugar, and watches as she sips whatever it is she's drinking at a booth towards the back.
She looks up and sees him, and he throws up a half wave. She just looks at him blankly and waves back, an almost non-wave really. Alex knows he should turn around and leave, because this girl, and she really is Ijust a girl/i, can only mean trouble for him. After Ava he promised himself he'd stay away from anyone that walked through the hospital doors. Still, his feet overrule him and before he can stop himself he's heading toward her booth.
"Dr. Karev, I thought you'd be heading to the bar with the rest of Seattle Grace's finest," she speaks, sipping what appears to be some sort of latte.
"I'm not one to follow the crowd," he shrugs.
"Yeah, me neither."
"Is that why you're here alone?" he asks. "I've heard you on the phone with several people. Why are you doing this to yourself?"
"I'm sorry, when exactly did I give you permission to listen in on my phone calls," she asks with narrow eyes.
"Forget it," he frowns as he turns to go.
"She's my mother, my responsibility," she speaks up, stopping him in his tracks.
He nods his head and slides into the seat across from her. He understands her reasoning all too well. He's been in her shoes before, the kid trying to take care of the parent. The kid with the father that loved his booze more than him. Most recently, he was the guy trying to take care of the woman he loved, even though her illness was too much for him to handle alone. Alex flinches at the though of Ava, and then stares back over at Veronica Mars. He knows this girl isn't as tough as she wants people to think. He can see it in her eyes when she asks questions about her mother's health. Deep down she's just a little girl, trying to take care of a mother that left her long ago.
He's going to regret this later. Somehow, he just knows that talking to this girl is going to be a mistake. He hasn't asked how old she is yet, but he assumes she's at least eighteen. Still, he shouldn't be sitting in a coffee shop with her. He doesn't do the whole get to know your patients thing often, so this, this can only turn out bad for him.
"You've got a dad, right? I've heard you on the phone with him."
"He's on his honeymoon. He married an amazing woman, and I'm not going to ruin this for him," she speaks, taking another sip of her drink. "He doesn't owe my mother anything," she adds, and Alex can hear a tinge of anger in her voice.
"Because she left?" Alex asks, staring over at her. He knows it's none of his business, but he really doesn't care. He's curious to find out the real story about this girl from California who seems determined to do everything on her own.
"Did I say she left?" Veronica bites out.
"No, but apparently it made the Lifetime movie," he speaks as her eyes widen slightly. He fights back a smirk as realization hits her face and her eyes lock with his. There is a fire mixed with the sapphire staring back at him, and he knows this is a girl who doesn't back down from a fight.
"Funny, I never took you for the Lifetime kind of guy," she answers back, narrowing her eyes at him.
"People talk."
"And you listen?" She asks. "I guess I overestimated you, Dr. Karev."
"When'd she leave?" He asks, watching as she fidgets slightly in her seat.
"That's none of your business. What else did these ipeople/i who talk say?" She quizzes, narrowing her eyes at him.
"You're a mini Nancy Drew that has a thing for rich guys," he states bluntly.
"You must have caught the Celeste Kane version of my life," she groans. "You really should check out that particular film. There's actually a scene where I try on one of her dresses and dance around her bedroom in it."
Alex bites back a smile because there is a part of him that believes what this girl says is true. She doesn't strike him as the type of girl that seeks out the rich. He thinks her issues are much different from that. It's obvious to him that something in her life hardened her, but he's not sure if it's one event or several.
"Just reporting what I heard," Alex shrugs.
"Should I guess who you heard that from?" Veronica asks, staring down at her coffee. "I'm going with a blonde doctor. You know, the one that seems almost scared of me?"
"When'd she leave?"
"When I needed her the most," she snaps bitterly. "Now is it time for me to question you on your personal life, or should we call it a night? Because I'd really love to know what you Iever/I saw in Izzie Stevens, and why the younger Dr. Grey turns into a nervous mess around you," she adds with a tiny smirk.
"How'd you…."
She just laughs before he can finish his question and shrugs her shoulders, "It's what I do."
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Her father shows up on day five, frustrated and hurt at the same time. He tells her that Wallace finally broke down and told him what happened. She watches him with her mother, just staring at the woman he loved for so many years.
"You should have called me Veronica," he whispers, looking at Lianne. "I should have been here."
"You were on your honeymoon, dad," she speaks. "It took you and Alicia so long to get back together, and I just didn't want to mess things up."
"She's your mother, she was my wife," he answers back sternly, turning to her. "I needed to be here. You needed me here," he frowns.
"When she comes out of the coma, when she's better," Veronica swallows, "she's going to jail."
"Veronica…"
"The driver isn't improving. They keep watching and waiting, but he's not getting better," she adds. "If mom actually gets better…."
Her father doesn't wait for her to finish, he just wraps his arms around her and holds her tight. For the first time since she heard the news, Veronica finally cries. She breaks down in her dad's arms and she cries at the thought of losing her mother forever.
"We'll get through this Veronica," Keith promises as he holds her closely. For the first time in days she finally feels safe. She's not alone anymore, she doesn't have to be alone anymore, and just the realization of that makes her believe that somehow, things will be okay.
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"I don't just date rich guys."
She comes out of nowhere one day and speaks these words to Alex. He has his back turned to her but instantly turns around at the sound of her voice.
"Is that your way of asking me out?" He asks bluntly.
"You really do love yourself don't you?" She speaks with a tiny huff. "I'm just saying, that's not who I am."
"But you are a mini Nancy Drew?" He smirks.
"Nancy Drew was weak compared to me," she boasts with a half smile. "I mean really, she wasn't really all that impressive."
They're standing in the middle of the hallway, and he can't help but smirk a little as Cristina walks by and rolls her eyes at him. "Should I be impressed?"
Veronica shrugs her shoulders at him. "If you could get over your own ego, you would be," she answers back with a tiny smile.
"Are you trying to insult me? Because that's actually more of a compliment really," he smirks.
"I have to go," she speaks, shrugging her shoulders at him. "I'm craving decent food for a change."
"What did you have in mind?" He asks, and he's honestly not sure why. His brain keeps telling him to stay away from this girl. He's suppose to see her as a kid, but he doesn't. She's far to mature to be just some average college student.
"Is that iyour/i way of asking me out?" She grins back at him.
"No, it was my way of saying maybe I could suggest a decent place," he answers in response.
"Oh."
Her face falls slightly and he has to bite back a laugh. For the first time in days, her youth shows as she lowers her head for a moment before looking back up at him with a forced smile.
"But since you're so set on me eating with you, there's this pizza place not far from here…."
"Doesn't that go against some sort of patient-doctor thing?" She asks with curious eyes.
"You're not a patient," he speaks. "Look, I'm hungry, your hungry, and we're both sick of this place," he explains with a sigh. "I figured, we might as well eat together."
"Well since you put it like that, how can I resist," she speaks dryly.
As they walk out of the hospital, Cristina walks by them again. This time Alex smirks when she mouths the word 'twelve' to him. He's going to be the talk of the hospital again soon, but really, when has he ever cared.
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Alex hears Veronica and her father talking one night as he's opening the door to the room. It's not as if he means to listen at first, but Veronica's tone is different, and he really just can't help himself.
"It's weird, you know?" She speaks to her father as she walks over to the bed.
"What's that, sweetheart?"
"She ran out on us, but now that she needs help, we're here."
"That's not weird, Veronica. That's who we are."
"No. The weird part is, she's really not here this time, either," she whispers. "She's here, but she's not, you know?"
Alex has never heard her sound so helpless. He watches as her father wraps a comforting arm around her and kisses the top of her head. There is something about their relationship that he finds unique. Maybe it's because it seems so real, and most of the people he knows don't have that with their parents.
"It's going to be okay, Veronica. We'll get through this."
"Of course we will," she says weakly. "We always do."
"She can still come out of this. You've heard the doctors. Your mom can do this."
"Yeah. And when she does, she'll stop drinking and come home, braid my hair, check my homework and cook me breakfast before I go to school," she rattles off with a sad smile. "It's okay, dad. I gave up on having the picture perfect mother a long time ago."
Alex frowns as he leans against the doorway. He's never seen this side of Veronica Mars before, the real person behind the smiles and the sarcastic banter. She seems so bare with her father, and he realizes there is so much more going on inside of Veronica Mars.
"It's not fair to you, Veronica."
Alex watches in wonderment as Veronica stares up at her father with a smile. "I've got the best father in the world. What more could a girl ask for?" she asks. It's obvious from the sound of her voice that she means every word.
"Lianne is going to be okay. Veronica. She is."
Veronica drops her head and Alex sees her move her hand to wipe her eyes. "You can't make that promise," she whispers to her father. "What if she doesn't make it?"
"Then I'll be right here, sweetheart. We'll get through it together. That's a promise I can make."
Alex backs away from the door when he sees her father hug her. Somehow, it just seems too private to watch any longer. He walks away feeling strange, his mind almost heavy. Veronica Mars is a very complex girl, he thinks to himself. Yeah, very, very complex indeed.
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"It's a dangerous road you're going down Karev. Veronica Mars is young. She's very, very young."
He knows the second he sits down with Yang, George and Meredith that it's a mistake. Meredith starts her mini lecture before he gets his tray on the table and doesn't stop even when he narrows his eyes at her.
"It's none of your business, Grey."
"So, you've really been hanging out with Coma Patient's daughter?" George asks. "She looks kind of young."
"She's twelve." Cristina grins.
"She's not twelve," Alex grunts, throwing a glare at Cristina.
"Is she even out of her teens?" George asks, causing Alex to once again narrow his eyes and Cristina to snicker. George drops his head and unlike Meredith, he knows when to shut up.
"Still, as someone who is an expert at making wrong decisions, I can tell you, this is a bad decision," Meredith frowns.
"Then maybe I'm trying to be more like you," he mutters.
"Wait, so something really is going on there?" George asks wide-eyed.
"No, and again, it's none of your business."
"Logically, it can only end badly," Cristina speaks with a shrug.
"You know, you people are way more screwed up than me. So do me a favor and stay out of it."
As he storms off he hears Yang ask, "What's his problem?" Seriously, do these people even have to ask?
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"The guy mom hit is taking a turn for the worse. You know what that means, right? Seriously, could my life be anymore awesome?"
"I'm coming out there, V," Wallace states. "Mom's back and I don't have to watch my brother. Let me come out there."
'Wallace, I'm okay. Dad's here, don't worry."
"You're the B to my FF, of course I'm worried," his voice sings out. "Mom said Keith was coming in for the weekend to catch up on some work. I can be there before he leaves."
"There's nothing you can do here. Alex says she's showing small improvements, but it's all still up in the air."
"Alex?"
She frowns at her slip of the tongue. "Dr. Karev. He's one of the doctors here."
"A doctor you refer to by his first name?"
She starts to speak just as Alex turns to corner. His eyes meet hers and he smirks slightly as he crosses his arms and leans against the wall.
"I'll call you later tonight, Wallace," she speaks in a hushed tone.
"Wait! What about this doctor?" Her best friend presses as she hangs up the phone with a groan.
"I need a drink. You want in?" He questions as she sticks her phone back in her pocket.
"I'm not much of a drinker," she admits with a frown.
"Really? Because right now, you look like you could use a few."
"You really know how to charm a girl, Karev."
"You should be impressed with my honesty. So are you in or what?"
"I…." She stalls as she looks back at her mother's room.
"Look, you can come watch me drink, make yourself feel designated or something," he sighs, running his hand through his hair. "The thing is, if you stay here long enough, staring at the same walls, you're going to go nuts. That won't help anyone, so just take a break. I'll spring for some fruity virgin something if you want," he adds, as he stares down once more.
It's a fine line they've been walking, she thinks, as she stands to her feet. She doesn't know what she's doing with Alex really, but at this point she doesn't care. He's been the only thing keeping her sane since she showed up at Seattle Grace and that in itself is enough.
"Thank you," she forces out hoarsely.
"Don't go all girl on me, Mars. I expect more from you."
She gives him a knowing smile as they leave together. If this is the only thing in her life that currently makes sense, she knows her life is far more screwed up than she had realized before.
